


On your knees, My King!

by Hyperballad



Category: X-Men (Comicverse), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dune Setting, Alternate Universe Kingdoms, Charles the innocent, Dark Charles, Erik has Issues, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mutant Powers, Smut, happy endings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-17
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-03-16 19:45:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 128,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3500603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyperballad/pseuds/Hyperballad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>UPDATE FROM THE AUTHOR: Apologies if I have been gone for a long time. I am very sick right now. I have cancer. I won't get into the details but I've been on a series of medications and am about to get an operation. Please bear with me. I assure you I will finish my fics, no matter what.</p><p>This story is set in an AU where Erik Lehnsherr is a king hell bent on building an empire, aiming to rule over all. His attention shifts when he finally met his prince consort, Charles Xavier. He becomes obsessed with the innocent young man, eventually falling for him but could he keep on doing so, when on all sides he is surrounded by conspiracy and deceit?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [unvb](https://archiveofourown.org/users/unvb/gifts).



> UPDATE: This is a work in progress. This is not an abandoned fic. I'm very busy with real life stuff, but I promise, on my word, I will finish this. Just not at the pace that I want though. Whenever I write, I have to feel a certain drive and if the inspiration is not there, nothing flows. This fic is very special to me so I don't want to write something shitty and rushed. Thanks to those who have stuck with me on this one. <3
> 
> This is the fic I had promised to gift unvb. My apologies if it got posted late because I had been so busy with work and all the real life stuff I had to deal with. This is somehow different from my usual style so not sure if you will notice it ^_^ I only hope that you will enjoy the story for what it is.
> 
> Please note: This is an alternate universe, the events occurring in a different planet similar to earth but I shall be using humans and superhumans in the terminology to simplify the distinction between the two. I don't like to use the term mutant here because in this fic it is a discriminatory term. Also, this world I am building has the feel of 'Children of Dune' to it (sort of), combined with bits and pieces of things that influenced this fic. If there is a similarity with any other works out there, my apologies, it was not intentional. I think of it as my own take on this genre. So please, it is not meant to offend but think of it as a form of compliment. Thank you for taking the time to read my work. :)

_For our king, we must march on._

This was the mindless imperative that rang through their thoughts while facing this harsh terrain. When they had begun this crusade into the northern lands, the soldiers felt nothing but pride and purpose, and yet as the months ate away at them, they struggled to quell thoughts of desertion. The way into the enemy line had been fraught with challenges; the severe sand snows that lashed over them and buried their makeshift camps in the utter midnight had been a great deterrent. Truly, this strange land had wreaked its worse upon their ailing will. The sand snow that fell upon them initially aroused their wonder. Now, they are horror-struck by the merciless onslaught of both the snow and the wind, for it brought with it blood and pain, due to the peculiar grains of the snow that scoured their skins and stripped away at their flesh. It comes intermittently, but when it does come, they quail and hurry to set up their camp or perhaps they would hide under any form of shelter they could chance upon, grateful for their armor and their thick leather hides that shielded them.

Not only was the unnatural climate a burden to their quest by air, which deprived them the use of their airships, the rough and rock strewn way between the uneven mountain peaks barred them from using their advanced vehicles to traverse the land. Hence, the king decided that they should continue their march into the enemy territory on foot and his men followed his orders to the letter. No one dared to question his edict. Despite their losses—comrades passing away due to illness, mishaps along the trail and camps stealthily ambushed by bandits and raided of provisions—the men strode on, their hope of victory weakened as their numbers also decreased. They had lost so much already and yet the king remained steadfast that they should move forward, for this diminutive kingdom intended to challenge his rule and raise an army of sorts. No one must oppose him and any who would do so would have hell to pay.

Moreover, the young soldiers feared the king's wrath because he was a living god; an entity of omnipotent power, whose skill to control metal was the stuff of legends among his former army. That, and the awe-inspiring sight of seeing this living god walking among them. The king himself underwent the same rigors his soldiers had endured as he advanced along with them, positioned in the middle of a squadron so that they may shield him from any assassin or any form of attack. What had them in awe was how the king walked on with that invisible cloak of power and command, regal and unmarred by the trials they encountered during their travels. He was wearing an outfit of red and purple, the colors of a true monarch. His armor and his helmet were also of the same red metal, a rare element in their planet and he had on a purple cape that magnificently trailed and fluttered at his back. Presently, the king sauntered tirelessly with his men, resplendent and fit for battle. Around the king were his royal guards, beings gifted with powers like their sovereign. The rest of them are but mere mortals pitted against formidable foes as sacrificial pawns. They knew it too. They were already withered and wretched, quietly resentful yet they marched on.

King Erik himself was all too aware of the unrest and the waning hope of his army. He understood their doubt because these young men had not seen him in battle and only a few men from his former battalion knew of his god-like powers. Once they made it through to the edge of the breach, he would rouse the hearts of these young soldiers into battle and finally show them his mettle. He had won a number of battles, his vast empire growing ever stronger as he colonized all other kingdoms under his rule. His ways are not always of war; he sent envoys to discuss diplomatic measures with these kingdoms to surrender over to him willingly. Sometimes diplomacy would be a success, but of the times that diplomacy was not an option, he must very well prove his supremacy over his adversary. Like so, with this small kingdom called Imaya. He had sent a representative, hoping for an agreeable union of their kingdoms, until he received the news that they beheaded his envoy; the head sent forth in a crate by another messenger, along with a message that they spit upon his sovereignty. Thus, it convinced him that they had thrown the gauntlet to seek war. He discussed the matter over with his court officials and was duly informed that Imaya had developed a stronghold, forging weapons to pit against the king and his army. He carefully hid his rage at this news and instead, announced that he will have to grant the other's wish for battle. For the nonce, he walked on with his head held high over the treacherous wasteland. Startled out of his thoughts, he listened as Cyclops, the captain of his royal guard discussed an odd delicacy with another guard named Banshee.

"They say the meat is quite tough, but would improve one's virility."

"Surely you jest? I cannot find myself eating such a creature, much less its balls!"

"They make it into a stew around these parts. When we stop to rest, I will see if I can hunt us two of these sand turtles,"

Cyclops chuckled wanly, his face becoming wrinkled with disgust. "I have gotten word that it is a rather foul-smelling critter. I'm afraid I cannot partake of your quarry!"

"You are missing out, my friend! You may have the shells if you like, as a souvenir. The people in this country use it upon their clothes; perhaps you may use it to cover your little manhood!" Banshee teased.

"No, I want no part of the animal! You may eat it by yourself! You need twice as much to make you adequately virile for a woman to even bed with you!"

Erik uttered a low laugh at their discussion. Unbeknownst to his guards, he sometimes listened in on their palaver and found them amusing, contented that they could find small joys in the mundane. He knew each one of his royal guards. They hailed from the noble families of his precious Genosha, a country where beings blessed with special powers were born and bred. In this tempestuous planet, hatred and bigotry had reared its ugly head against his kind; the humans called them mutants, his kind persecuted and massacred out of the humans fear of their strange powers. To that end, his father had fought hard to vindicate his people, going to war with the humans for their people's right to live and his father passed this legacy on to him; he carries this mantle proudly into his own monarchy after his father had gone from this world. He was a child raised upon those dark days, when there had been so much bloodshed and oppression against his poor people. It had left him feeling this sense of prejudice against the humans. For 30 years, his father had fought a great war with the human kingdoms until finally, his people prevailed. He was grateful that his father had paved the way for him and now all the humans knew of their power and they shall bend to his will if he so desired it. He recalled a memory from long ago, when he had been a young child, bearing witness to his father's ability as a king; it had begun at a gathering-

_"You will bow down to me! I will be king of this world one day!" Erik cried out in a supercilious yet childish voice as he glared down at the human boy who had turned his nose up against him._

_This boy, who had raised his anger, was a young prince like him, evidently human and powerless. Erik had stood about the assembly, feeling self-important, seeing the other royal families who belonged to lesser kingdoms. For that reason, he felt superior over these people. However, the human prince was the only one who had dared to snub him when he greeted him. He avenged himself by using his powers on the boy, when they were all out in the garden during the event. The people of this kingdom wore odd clothes. They dressed in pale, silky robes scattered with jewels, arms and legs exposed. They wore metal bands about their arms and heads; a great amount of jewelry, which Erik thought was rather pompous of them to do. Like his father, he detested such an ostentatious display of wealth. Erik was proud that both he and his father wore their austere clothes of dark purple and red; similar to a priest-like garb, with high collars and long, flowing cassocks. Erik's father wore a long, puce-colored cape lined with black fur. Erik resembled his father somewhat, except that his father has black hair and green eyes, with a well-trimmed mustache and a short beard. In contrast, Erik has light brown hair and blue-green eyes, his young cheeks bright and clear. Not a speck of jewelry decorated their clothes._

_The boy he had tripped wore the same outfit as his people, pale blue jeweled robes, only shorter and Erik noticed that even his ankles had golden bands about them. Even though Erik loathed to admit this to himself, he found the fair-skinned boy adorable. The boy's eyes were a wondrous shade of blue and these blue eyes regarded him tearfully after Erik had used his power to trip the boy and forced him to stay down on his knees. He controlled the golden bands with his power and the jewelry the other was wearing shackled the human prince to the ground._

_"Raven! Raven!" The boy cried out in a trembling, tear-choked voice and Erik laughed at him cruelly._

_"Oh, are we calling for our nursemaid? Are you such a high and mighty pansy that you cannot face me with your own skill?" Erik taunted as he continued to snicker wickedly. He kept on holding the boy down with his magnetic powers._

_"Let me go, you bully!" The boy cried afresh, his tears streamed down his hectic cheeks as Erik restrained him._

_"Make me!"_

_"Release my brother, fiend!" A young girl's voice suddenly cried out from Erik's back and he turned to face an odd-looking girl. Her skin was bright blue, with dark blue scales scattered about her flimsily clothed body and her bright red hair slicked back, held fast by a thin jeweled band, similar to what the boy down on the grass was wearing. The girl's dark blue scales adorned her cheeks and face like a tattoo, the symmetry of each scale perfectly arranged about her countenance. She glowered at him with her yellow eyes. Erik's brow furrowed skeptically when the girl had called the pale boy her 'brother'. He could not for the life of him see any kinship between the two of them. Perhaps they did not have the same mother-_

_"Are you deaf? I said release him!"_

_"Or what, fish girl? Are you going to-"Erik began smugly. All of a sudden, a hard and painful object flew towards his face, causing him to lose his focus while holding the pale boy down with his power. He has yet to master his skill in a similar fashion as the king. His father's ability was to control rocks and stones. He fell down on to the grass, his face began to sting with some slight pain. He looked up and glared at the girl just as she brought her foot down. She had kicked him! She had dared to attack a prince of his stature! He got to his knees quickly and with a roar of rage, he tried to fight back, but she easily beat him up and humiliated him, as several people began to gape at them. She was quite skilled in that odd stance she had fought him with. The dark-haired boy still remained upon the grass, wiping at his eyes and looking on as his sister continued to beat up Erik, the one who had bullied him._

_"Erik! What is the meaning of this?" Erik's father, King Jakob cried out in a harsh and forbidding voice._

_Distractedly, the girl turned to face Erik's father, which gave Erik an opening to punch the girl in the face while she had straddled him. Erik then kicked her away from himself and he stood up, gasping._

_"Erik!"King Jakob warned._

_"They have disrespected me father and I will have none of it!"Erik cried out petulantly, his eyes wounded as much as his pride was. The girl was getting to her feet, rubbing at her own swollen cheek and then she went to the pale boy with the wondrous blue eyes, helping him up. Their father, King Raphael came running towards them and he held the girl's wrist angrily._

_"Raven, we do not attack our guests! Why have you done this to the prince?"_

_"He bullied Charles, my lord!"Raven cried out defensively._

_King Raphael grabbed her roughly by the arm, his voice an angry hiss."It matters not what he does to your half-breed brother! You have disrupted this event with your unladylike ways! Go to your room, both of you!"_

_The blue-skinned girl looked stung, angered by the unjust treatment. She gloomily led her brother away and then King Raphael offered repeated apologies for the slight that his daughter had caused towards young Prince Erik. King Raphael was like his daughter, with bright blue skin interspersed with dark blue scales, with a head full of bright red hair and yellow eyes. Erik knew of King Raphael's lineage. His kind are called Phasers. Like Erik's people, the Phasers are born with superhuman powers. However, their race has the ability to transfigure their entire body or they are born with the physical attributes of their powers, unlike Erik's kind who resembled humans, only gifted with powers and forces used in battle or in defense. Not all were of the same ilk as his royal majesty. Some could grow claws, turn into smoke or transform into any form of their choice. He could see that they were like his kind, gifted and unique and so he accepted them as equals. Erik nodded gallantly and accepted the apology. He was later led away by his father and they spoke in low tones. Erik received a severe reprimand from his father for his own actions after he got the full account from Erik._

_"King Raphael graciously apologized for what has transpired, but your behavior tonight disappointed me, Erik. I had hoped you would become a king worthy of respect. You do not force our people to respect you. Remember this, son. You must show them that they should respect you because you earned it, not because your haughty pride makes it so. Do you understand what I have just said to you?"_

_"Yes, father."Erik said, his breath hitched, choked over with tears. He wiped repeatedly at his burning eyes. Although he felt utterly chastised for his actions, he did not want to appear weak before the king. His father suddenly patted his shoulder gently. The king surprised him when he spoke to Erik in a soothing voice._

_"One day, you shall be king. I want you to surpass me and make me proud. Think of this as a lesson learned. I shall leave you to mingle with our people. As you may well know, King Raphael's people are also our people. We must forge a bond with them in any way possible for all we have are each other in our dire time of need,"_

_"I know, father. I fear for your life always when you go to war. I understand that having allies will aid you in your battles."_

_Erik's affection touched King Jakob that he drew his son close to embrace him. He was still a thin rail of a boy, his expression fretful and haughty sometimes, yet he is a good son. Erik sighed contentedly, happy that his father had forgiven him and he followed the king's orders and went on to join the other royal children at the gathering. Erik immediately engaged another girl, a princess, in an animated discussion. When he suddenly looked up at a window in King Raphael's castle, he saw the blue-skinned girl again and she stuck her tongue out at him, making faces while the blue-eyed boy leaned close to her, smiling. Erik ignored them and went on talking with the new friend he had made at the soiree. Later on, Erik wondered where his father was and so he went looking for him. He found his father in one of the garden domes of the Darkholme kingdom. He was in a deep discussion with King Raphael. Erik approached them quietly and as a result, they did not hear him coming, but he heard their discussion nevertheless. They were not having some casual talk. They were arguing heatedly._

_"-As of this moment, the humans have decimated your army in the northern realm. Your pathetic soldiers cannot be saved by their noble blood and their worthless powers. I have informed the humans of their arrival,"_

_"How could you have done this, Raphael? How could you do this to your own people?"King Jakob said in a quaking and angry voice._

_"It is because I despise you, Lehnsherr! Did you think your supercilious ways will bring down the humans? You will only bring ruin to us all!"_

_Erik did not like the tone of King Raphael's voice at all. He sounded like he gloated over the death of his own kind. Erik gritted his teeth and stared at them from the side bushes where he had hidden himself, glaring angrily at King Raphael now. King Jakob bent his head down; he looked defeated, his face crumpled up painfully, his skin going gray. News of the massacre of his people was a great blow to him._

_"You brought this upon yourself, Lehnsherr. I have a good mind to tell you that the human leaders forged an alliance with my kingdom. They will leave us alone...if I give them your head-"King Raphael said softly. He produced a blade from between his robes. Erik had an idea that King Raphael could perform a feat similar to his daughter's ability. He has superhuman speed and strength. Erik was about to utter a warning towards his father, but a long piece of shard stone suddenly erupted from the marble floor of the dome and pierced King Raphael through the chest before he could attack. King Jakob could not stealthily be taken on like that, not even in the state that he was in. He had used his powers to call forth the minerals of the earth, for this was his ability, to turn rock and stone into weapons. Erik could see that the king's face was wet with tears as he uttered an anguished cry while King Raphael gurgled and choked, his mouth spewing forth blood. King Raphael lifted a spasmodic hand towards King Jakob, and then his head rolled to the side. He was dead, his corpse suspended upon the stalactite-like growth that Erik's father had summoned with his will._

_"Father!"Erik cried out in fear and then King Jakob lifted his head, startled to find his son coming towards him. Erik ran into his arms and hugged him close._

_"Did you see, son?"_

" _Yes, father."Erik said. His voice quivered as he spoke, weeping softly and relieved that no harm came to his father. King Jakob hugged him fiercely, still weeping himself and after their bout of crying, King Jakob called forth his own royal guards. He ordered them to bring down King Raphael's corpse. The king then led Erik to the side so he would not see corpse any longer._

_"Erik, whatever you have seen, please do not hate the Phasers for this. King Raphael's terrible crimes were his alone. His people had nothing to do with it. I shall speak to his Queen about this matter, but promise me that whatever happens, you will not retaliate towards them, even when I have passed away from this world!"_

_Erik nodded numbly, too frightened by what had occurred to utter another word. He had thought that his father would be harmed, yet it appears that his father was capable of dealing with the likes of King Raphael. He had always admired his father. He followed him with worshipful eyes; hoping that one day, he would become like him..._

Erik thought that he has finally become a king worthy of his father's respect. He had wondered about living in peace, with children of his own and passing on the royal legacy that his father had instilled within him. Until then, he must fight this war, to unify both humans and superhumans under his rule. He did not fight these wars to merely subjugate and massacre. That was not his intention. He wanted to carry on his father's wishes; that once all are under one rule, no side would dare to dominate. All will be equal. He was aware of the difficulties of this undertaking, for history spoke of men who had attempted to raise empires, only to fail miserably; and yet he was confident that he will not end up like them. He was a superhuman after all. Even though he continued to strive to build a unified empire, he should never be lenient. This was why those who had openly opposed him faced the terrible awe of his powers. Imaya had not realized what it had brought upon itself when they had dared to defy him.

Three days after, they finally faced the Imayans and it was true that they had built a stronghold and had prepared weapons for the arrival of Erik's army. His soldiers at the front were the first to perish, with Imaya raining down upon them a hail of bombs and laser cannons. Erik himself was some distance from the battlefield. He oversaw the attack from afar, trying to devise a plan with which to breach the stronghold. Erik's soldiers hid themselves upon temporary metal revetments, capable of forming an instant barrier when in the middle of an artillery assault even though its strength was questionable. The ground juddered and protested as the attack continued. Pieces of soil erupted heavenward along with splinters of tree burst and damaged plants. His men scattered about, pinned down by the attack, unable to get close to Imaya's walls to deal any damage.

Erik's men struggled to hold their ground even as a great explosion resounded all about them. The royal guards fought the enemy off using their skill while simultaneously using their powers to protect their human counterparts. The captain of his royal guard, Cyclops, whose power was to shoot red beams from his eyes kept the men safe. He countered the cannon and beam blasts of the enemy with his own beams. Banshee, who possessed the power of sonic screams, fended off further attacks by making the bombs unstable in the air when he used his skill upon them. The battle went on for some time until perhaps it depleted most of Imaya's weaponry. Erik's men held on, even though a great number of them died in the ensuing battle.

When the assault came to a halt, the Imayan soldiers poured out from their stronghold in droves to clash with King Erik's soldiers out in the front. His royal guards had joined in on the fray and Erik watched grimly as the ravages of war spilled the blood of foes and comrades alike; the broken and blood-soaked soil decorated with their corpses, pierced through by blades or laser beams. Early in the day, the sand snow had swept forth before the battle; it covered the ground with its sharp, white grains and they are now stained red as the battle raged on. It was a harrowing sight indeed. How many more ended up slaughtered? How many people must die to fulfill his dream of a unified empire? Erik had to harden his heart and turn away from this spectacle, he must see beyond this, and look far into the future. He wanted nothing but peace and he shall have to fight for it with all his might before he could achieve it.

"Have the second battalion ready their arrows," Erik said softly to a youthful soldier who awaited his orders as he stood stock still. The air about him seemed to vibrate as he prepared himself to raise an onslaught. The young man he spoke to, barely of an age to sport facial hair from what Erik could see, spoke hesitantly.

"Sire, there aren't any men in the second battalion to-"

"Just do as you're told young man!"Erik cried out with weary annoyance and lifted his arms. He knew exactly what to do. His powers had grown exponentially and had perhaps even bested that of his father. He raised forth all the metal weapons lying about in the battlefield, swords, knives and lances. He controlled them with his will. Along with this, he had turned the Imayan's weapons on them; he rotated the laser cannons upon their metal base plates to shoot anyone in sight within the castle walls. Erik's men heard the Imayan's scream from within the stronghold, along with the sounds of explosion. Erik then lifted his other hand and used the metal weapons in the field to pierce the Imayan soldiers who fought with his men, cutting them down with accuracy. He prevented any harm to come upon his own men. The young soldier who had stood close to Erik watched with bulging eyes at this phenomenon, his mouth agape. King Erik's power was truly terrible in its wake. Erik did not even glance at him when he spoke again.

"The arrows?"Erik said calmly.

The youth stammered a response."T-They...they are ready, my liege!"

Erik smiled smugly and then the young man's skin grew pallid as he watched Erik levitate into the air, arms outstretched and magnificently poised as he floated, controlling the magnetic pull of the planet to lift him up.

"Just have them shoot the arrows in the air. They must not stop firing until their arrows run out, understood?"Erik called out to the boy and the boy could only nod like an idiot, gazing up at him with open-mouthed wonder. Erik flew close to the Imayan walls, unafraid of any attack, flinging away any artillery or shelling thrown his way and lifting great hunks of metal to shield his body from harm. His movements are casual and without strain. The soldiers who initially had been doubtful of this quest had become true believers now, shouting out praises of encouragement to their king and weeping with joy. They jumped about and hugged each other, finally comprehending why Erik was such a formidable foe. The black metal arrows shot out and Erik swept his arms about with a flourish, controlling the metal projectiles until they are crowding up over Imaya's castle, a frightful metal curtain, poised to kill. He had attempted to speak with the Imayan king a second time as he flew into the king's throne room and urged him to surrender, but the old king had refused to see reason.

"Sire, you have treated me with such disrespect and I have made every effort to beseech you to bring your armaments down. Your army is all but defeated outside your walls. Surrender and I shall give you my compassion."

The Imayan king spat upon the floor and sneered up at him, too prideful to give in just like that."Piss on you and your compassion! My people shall fight you unto death! I would rather face death myself than to submit to your abominable will, Mutant!"

Erik's eyes narrowed into ominous slits as he regarded the Imayan king with cold repugnance. That hateful racial slur again. He spoke with a soft and gravelly tone this time, inclining his head."Death it is then,"

One black arrow made of thick and hard steel came whooshing through a window, shattering the glass and it stabbed the Imayan king in the head, killing him. Erik flung his hands about and the arrows came raining down into Imaya, killing all the armed men in sight. Erik had spared the women, children and the elderly, but of the remaining men within the castle, his own men had dealt with them. Erik flung the gates open with his power and his soldiers came flooding in, uttering savage roars and raising their swords to stab any Imayan they see fighting back, the Imayan soldiers defending the outer gates already slain. They spared those who had lifted their hands in surrender. Erik walked about Imaya to see through to the total decimation of the Imayan kingdom, its people finally brought down, and the Imayan king dead at his hands. His men bowed their heads in acknowledgement and reverent greetings as he swept past them and then Erik climbed up into one of Imaya's grand keeps, to see far into the horizon. He took off his helmet and the strong wind whipped his light brown hair about, along with his purple cape. The skies are clear and blue above him and he let out a sigh of relief, content that he was once again victorious.

To honor his victory, his citizens greeted him with a grand parade as he entered Genosha's gates; his soldiers and royal guards proudly marching were also hailed with honorable greetings that even the injured soldiers trudging forward became invigorated. Erik felt pride at seeing the golden gates and the splendid white stone walls of his kingdom. Shining and pale spires rose up to almost meet the clouds with their dark blue tips, red and purple flags fluttering valiantly in the wind. Pale flowers cascaded over them, along with songs of praise and trumpets of salutations.

King Erik did his best to accept his people's adulation with dignity, bowing chastely and lifting a hand to wave at his subjects. It took them less than a month to return to their own country, using Imaya's sea port and thereby easing their travel time; his soldiers were immensely relieved that they did not have to traverse the same way they had come. From the seas, they opened communications with their airship patrol to pick them up, along with their Imayan prisoners and the spoils of war. It had almost seemed so fleeting to Erik, now that he has returned into the welcoming embrace of his own kind. He headed straight for the center of the town square, going up the marble stage and delighting in the shouts of glory from his people. He lifted a hand up to placate them and spoke as loudly as he could, hoping that all may hear his words.

"My brothers and sisters! I bring you victory yet again. By now you are all aware of Imaya's defeat. They had dared to look down upon our race and I have done what I could to set things right, thanks to our soldiers and comrades. We have brought down a defiant enemy in your honor! You are all welcome to come into my castle to celebrate with me and perhaps, drain my tankards dry and wipe clean my larder of its supplies! Take some of my silver cutlery while you are at it!"

The people, initially solemn, broke out in uproarious laughter at King Erik's attempt at humor in his last statement, growing quiet when their king lifted his hand again."You have my gratitude, for your undying support for my cause, but let us not forget our kind who has died in battle. Let us remember their sacrifice. They had given us what little peace and comfort we have now and I beseech from you all, a moment of silence, to offer up a prayer for them,"

The silence that followed was profound as all the king's people bowed their heads solemnly and prayed for their dead. Erik waited a few more minutes and then he spoke again."And now, let us pray for our human soldiers, who sacrificed their lives as well in this war. Let us not make them feel they are any less in their efforts to fight alongside us; they have fought courageously and with honor,"

The people did as their king had asked of them and prayed for the human soldiers who had perished in the King's crusade. The remaining human soldiers who had joined the throng felt their king's respect, moved by the people's acceptance. Erik of course, did these things to make everyone aware of his political standpoint. When he had been young, he knew only hatred for the humans. If he had learned anything at all from his father, he learned that to rule under a united people, he must prove his desire for it, by showing that he treated everyone under his rule equally. Erik then announced that his invitation stands and everyone was welcome to come into his great halls to dine with him and celebrate tonight. Erik went down from the stage to the sound of joyous shouts and praises in his name and then he sauntered down the silvery-white streets to head for his castle. His court officials and his retinue followed him. They had uttered well-wishes and greetings for his safe return while his royal guards kept overzealous followers at bay. He deemed it unnecessary to enter his castle halls by carriage as one of his advisers had called out for him to do. He walked down the precious flagstones to his heart's content, for his own father had laid these very stones he trod upon, using his powers.

Before going off to refresh himself to prepare for the celebration to come, he must address the affairs of the royal court. He headed straight for his private chancery, where he signed official documents and reviewed the concerns of his kingdom. This room was separate from the main chancery office, where chancellors accepted documents brought in by people from all over King Erik's kingdom when raising their concerns. He had left one of his most trusted advisers, Jean Grey to officiate in his stead and his other advisers were somewhat resentful that he would hand over such an undertaking to a woman. Erik understood their injured pride, but he had seen Jean Grey's mind when he had asked to see what she truly thought about him as her ruler, having her use her telepathic powers on him. He saw that she shared the same ideals that he has and he saw that he could trust her and so he favored her over his other court officials, ignoring their jealous rage. Jean Grey had not joined the parade down below. She was instead attending to the matters of the kingdom, signing and reviewing the documents brought to her by the royal clerks and placing King Erik's seal upon those that she had deemed important. She lifted her head from the scrolls and sheaves of parchment paper upon seeing him enter, standing up and bowing her head low.

"Your majesty. I'm overjoyed that you have returned to us safely, "Jean said solemnly, keeping her eyes down. Erik grinned at her insolently, noting that her greeting was anything but joyous.

"I can definitely feel your merriment, Jean. I am quite taken by it!"Erik joked.

"Forgive me for not greeting you at the parade. I did not want to leave off my duty to peruse the court documents thoroughly in your absence," She said in a soft voice, ignoring the jibe. Jean Grey was a beautiful woman, her long dark red hair a curtain at her back, soft-brown eyes downcast as she kept her head bowed low as a sign of respect. She was wearing a dark green gown with a tight bodice, lined with gold. He would have bedded her if he wanted to. He did not do so, when he saw that she was not even in the least enamored with him. She was too focused on advancing her career instead and wanting his ideologies to become a reality; she too wished for a unified rule so that all may finally be equal. Erik waved a lofty hand at what she had said.

"Think not of it. How fares the state in my absence?"

Jean sighed."Yet again, my liege, your people in the south grow restless due to a dispute over the land,"

"Hmmm, it seems with my immense powers, you would have thought there would be an ample amount of land to share amongst all my people, "Erik said dryly, leaning upon the table before her.

"The problem lies not with the farmers, your majesty, but with the system of fiefdom you had allowed the lords of the land to impose. They would rather have elaborate maze gardens built to boast among themselves than to allow your farmers the right to more land, thus earning more for their wages,"

Erik nodded at this gravely."Well, I will not allow the human farmers to feel that we look down upon their plight. Send the lords a missive each, advising them to give the people the land they need or I will strip them of their titles,"

Jean gave him a small smile, satisfied by the answer."A wise decision, your majesty as always,"

"Ah, you know how to rub your king the right way, don't you?"Erik teased and Jean stifled a blush and turned away, her smile falling from her face. King Erik did like to tease the women about him with indecent innuendos, made for his own amusement and Jean was no exception.

"I was only joking with you, Jean."Erik said with an impish grin.

"Of course, your majesty,"

Erik stayed a while longer to check several documents she had signed for him and found them satisfactory. He then turned to go out of the room; he did not face her as he said the following words.

"A celebration will be taking place in my great halls tonight. Prepare yourself and leave off with the paper work. You have a right to some merry-making too, I take it?"

"Yes, your majesty," Jean said demurely and curtsied before him even though he was not looking at her. But then, she called out to him when she remembered something important, her eyes going wide. She was so engrossed with handling the dealings of the kingdom that she had forgotten all about the letter.

"Sire, my sincerest apologies! A letter came for you from the Shi'ar Empire, from the farthest eastern regions!"

Erik remembered the name and he grew still for a moment and then he turned to face her again. She was holding out a letter for him, stamped with a royal seal. When he was young, he and his father had been to that far-off country. His father's intention at that time was to rally allies in his cause against the human empire who persecuted superhumans. He had even recalled it as he was marching with his soldiers, laying siege to Imaya. How odd that when that he remembered his first lessons as a king there, a missive suddenly arrives for him from that country.

He walked over to Jean and took the letter from between her fingers. He broke the dark blue seal and unfurled the contents of the letter. Erik's brow had furrowed in wonder at what he was reading, causing Jean to worry and then his face brightened and broke out into an amused smirk.

"What strange wonders fate has set out before us," Erik said as he chuckled, handing the letter over to her so that she may read it.

The letter was a proposal of unification with Shi'ar and to seal the deal, they are sending a young prince named Charles Xavier as his prince consort, offering his hand in marriage. Charles Xavier, a child of that kingdom, was born as a human, a half-brother of Queen Raven Darkholme. Jean frowned down at the letter. Erik had of course, constantly received proposals before from lesser kingdoms, desperately vying for his acceptance, but he had turned down the offerings of their princesses and princes, no matter how attractive. It was not uncommon in their realm for other kingdoms to do this, for the unification would grant equal sovereignty with him by marrying off someone from their royal household, preferably one with royal blood, but of lesser rights to the throne, so that the proposing sovereign may keep their title and their kingdom, gaining from his monarchy. After all, he is famous far and wide for his flourishing empire. However, he had not thought about marrying so soon. Having children, yes, but not yet thinking on a worthy partner. Erik had kept on smiling at Jean as he watched her expression.

"Do you know what this means?"

"No, Sire. Please enlighten me,"

"Shi'ar was one of the countries my father had wanted to become allies with. An event had happened long ago which caused my father to sever ties with them. The king of Shi'ar tried to assassinate my father in the hopes of currying favor with the human empire,"

"Good lord!"Jean cried out with a gasp, her eyes wide.

"And now the Shi'ar Empire suddenly comes unbidden with a prince as a token, hoping to forge ties with me. Does it not sound highly suspect to you?"

"It does trouble me, your majesty."

Erik crossed his arms over his chest, rubbing his chin with his thumb, looking thoughtful."My father had severed ties with them, but he has forgiven the attempt on his life, for only King Raphael schemed upon it all by himself. I have been to Shi'ar when I was young. I recall how great their powers were and I must say, their precious stones are exceptional, prized all over the known realms. Imagine how it would open a wealth of industry in Genosha?"

Jean did not make any effort to hide how dismayed she was."Am I not mistaken my lord, to assume that you are actually considering this...this proposal?"

"Indeed, I am!"The proposal was seductive to him because of the thrill of vicissitude it posed.

"Sire, I wish not to question you, but is it not worrisome that they have attempted to kill your father once? Should we not suspect the same might be attempted upon your life?"

Erik laughed offhandedly at her fear."Yes, I would suppose so,"

"Then you must not allow this union to take place! As your adviser, I would hope that you would see reason in my words. Do not place yourself in such a predicament, my liege!"

"But this is quite intriguing, is it not? I am curious to see what they are really up to. I am no fool, Jean Grey. They are the ones entering our city, offering up their prince. I could very well slit his throat and instigate a war if they dare to conduct any form of treachery! I have no fear of them!"Erik said magnanimously, standing tall with his chin held high, eyes blazing with delight.

Jean placed her hand over her eyes, wishing she had not given him that missive, if she had only known what a devil the king would be when ideas that tempted the fates presented itself to him. He had always been like this, even throwing himself into a skirmish with the enemy for the thrill of the kill. She recalled with horror that the king had incurred a stabbing and yet he was laughing off the pain; eyes deranged and full of glee, dealing such hurt against his enemies in retaliation. He was like a madman then, only becoming subdued when reminded that he must uphold his dignity for his father. He was not called Erik the Red for nothing. She saw the same manic gleam in his eyes now as he thought of inviting danger into his own kingdom.

"Call forth the scribe! I want a letter sent to Shi'ar post-haste! Tell them the wedding will take place as soon as possible!"

"But...But my lord-"Jean stammered while King Erik waved off any response she had to offer. She had wanted him to have a diplomatic discussion with Queen Raven first, to make the proper arrangements and to think things through, but the king rashly accepted the wedding proposal without another thought.

"I'm going to take a long, warm bath. Bed with several of my concubines and attend to my banquet later in the evening. I suggest you loosen your corset for once and stop worrying!"Erik drawled out insolently and then he hastily left her there, staring after him with round, shocked eyes.

The wedding had become such a grandiose event that all the kingdoms within the realms could discuss nothing but this. A select few received an invitation to attend Erik's matrimony and the security was also of the likes that Genosha had not seen before. The king's imperial army had surrounded the walls, preparing for any form of disruption upon their liege's solemn ceremony. The royal guards were on the march all over the halls of the castle, making sure that nothing would be amiss. They inspected every crack and crevice to ensure that no bombs were covertly planted during the event. Erik himself was not even worried. He stared at his reflection before a large mirror, critically looking over his garment. He had decided to forgo wearing red to his wedding, for red had its associations with war. He had put on a dark violet garb instead; the style did not change much from the priestly garments that he had worn when attending any event. It brought out the pale hues of his hair and his eyes. Over this, he donned a sweeping black cape that he had arranged about his shoulders, held up by a stone pin that belonged to his father. Several maids were attending over him, brushing over the fabric and arranging a fold here and there, making sure that his outfit was immaculate. A knock upon his door had him looking up expectantly. It was Lady Grey, waiting patiently for a maid to usher her in. Once she had entered the room, she curtsied before Erik.

"Your majesty, you look quite handsome and I am sure your prince consort would verily be pleased to have you as his husband,"  
Erik sneered at her, shattering the noble dignity upon his expression."He shall be even more pleased when I stick it in him and he's made aware of my prowess in bed,"

Jean blushed hotly at the crass words coming forth from his mouth, wanting to scold him. She put a hand to her own lips instead while the maids giggled quietly at what their king had said. Erik went back to fiddling with his clothes, his eyebrows drawing together as he found something out of sorts with his clothing.

"Well how is my prince?"

"As you have requested, I have arranged for our own retinue to bathe and dress him. They inspected the young prince's garments for any weaponry, any artifice intended to harm. We found nothing suspicious, my lord,"

"How disappointing," Erik drawled languidly as he rearranged his collar once more and finally finding everything adequate, he waved the maids away with one hand and they hurried to leave him, curtsying before Jean Grey and preparing themselves for their king's wedding. Erik faced Jean and lifted his arms up as one of royal blood would, with elegance and a dignified air about him. Jean nodded approvingly.

"A perfect choice of garment, your majesty."

"Let us go to the altar then. I should not let my prince consort be the one to wait for me," Erik said loftily and he walked ahead of Jean Grey, sweeping his cape over one arm to prevent the folds from tangling about his legs. Jean Grey was wearing a pale pink gown with a silver bodice this time and she had put on her best jewelry for the event. She let her dark red locks flow upon one shoulder in a half-braid. Lady Grey informed the king that Charles Xavier's own retinue was to stay farther back from the altar. The prince had only two men with him. One was a brute with a sour countenance and a horned hairstyle, wearing an impressive animal pelt and the other was a blue-furred individual with spectacles. The royal guard watched over these two with suspicion. They seem far more dangerous than the slight young prince who had remained masked and covered when he had arrived in the castle last night. Queen Raven Darkholme attended the affair, along with her own princess consort, Emma Frost. Both women held hands as they awaited the arrival of Raven's brother at the altar.

The altar was a sight to behold. Pale marble pillars surrounded it and upon the ground, clean gray slates were laid out and freshly polished. Above the altar was a domed ceiling made of clear-cut glass and when the sun streamed through it, it threw a prismatic display upon the attendees. What added to this wondrous spectacle were the firefly flowers about the pillars, strewn about the floor and set about the aisle pews. The flowers were of a rare breed, for if thrown into the wind, the creamy white petals seemed to light up as if it was catching fire; hence they called it the firefly flower. Erik had the blooms imported and freshly arranged just this morning to ensure that they would look crisp and clear on his wedding day. His gaze fell on Raven Darkholme. The queen was wearing regal and chaste dark blue robes to the event. He recognized her blue skin and her yellow eyes. He had remembered that she had beaten him up when they were little children. She had somehow sensed his appraisal and turned to face him, nodding regally, no longer the unladylike upstart, aiming to protect her brother. Erik nodded in return and he wondered vaguely if the prince he was to marry was the same boy he had bullied long ago.

He was about to discover the truth.

A solemn procession had begun the ceremony, the flags of both kingdoms set with reverence upon their stands, to signify the equal power of their kingdoms; Erik was suddenly overtaken by his nervousness, not knowing why. He had not felt like this before and he thought perhaps he was nervous because his blushing groom might actually be unattractive. He did not think to ask what the other looked like and he suddenly realized he had been so rash to accept the marriage when he had not even seen a portrait of his betrothed. He looked stricken and Jean saw his arrogant expression fall. They both thought of the same idea. It was too late now. What does he know of this prince? Surely he was that adorable boy from his childhood. Queen Raven had no other brother that he could think of. But what if his appearance had changed? Children who had looked so winsome when young could sometimes end up with some odd deformity about them and he was sweating slightly at the prospect of having to live with that. In their realm, divorcing a spouse was unheard of and the bond of a husband and wife or any form of marriage could only be broken by death. Bells and harps began to play in the background, followed by a somber striking of drums, beating in time to the ever-growing doubt in his heart. Then, at the glowing white passageway, they caught sight of the prince consort. He was wearing sky-blue silk robes that covered his arms and the back of his legs, the jeweled fabric trailing at his back . Underneath, he had on a white, high-collared garment, similar to the one the king was wearing and beneath that, he was wearing loose, silky white harem pants, cropped and fitted above his exposed ankles. Erik's gaze went to the prince's ankles first, which looked delicate and pale, secured by gold bands that twinkled under the sun. He had on a strange white mask that covered his eyes from view, for the eyepiece had gauze over them. A gossamer cape hung about his shoulders and it trailed out eloquently. As the bridesmaids threw the firefly flowers about him and his path, it struck Erik so with admiration. The young man's approach stunned him, the other walking slowly and with sure steps towards him. Prince Charles had on blue silk slippers, a common footwear in Shi'ar and Erik watched, entranced as the prince's feet stepped lightly over the slate gray stones. His eyes became riveted to the young man's lips afterwards. His lips looked so red and sensuous, set solemnly close, his cheeks blushing slightly and Erik was somehow strangely relieved, as if he knew undoubtedly that the young prince would be attractive, even though the mask hid his features.

The young prince finally reached him and he demurely held his hand out, waiting for Erik to clasp it. Erik took his hand in his own; surprised by the cool, gentle fingers that touched his skin. He couldn't stop staring at the young man's masked profile as the priest began the prayer over their unification. Erik could barely understand what the old priest was saying because his attention was so taken by his blushing prince consort. He was curious to know what the prince truly looked like once he took the mask off. The ceremony was regal and dignified and it satisfied Erik that things were going well so far. He was aware of his prince consort's human heritage and as he thought over his decision to marry the prince, he had determined that the union was a wise decision after all. Word would have by now spread of his wedding to a human prince and his associates would think it was a strategical move on his part. The humans would see this as a sign that he wished to stay on amicable terms with them by marrying someone of their kind. However, Queen Raven had foreseen what life she had sent her brother to, for the title of prince consort was merely that, a title and nothing more. In truth, Prince Charles' role would be somewhat similar to the concubines that resided in King Erik's harem. He would be considered the first husband, of course, but other than that, he would have to vie for the king's attention along with the fifty or so concubines of the Genoshan kingdom. These ladies stared at Prince Charles balefully as he walked about the altar, greeting and thanking the guests for attending his wedding after his ceremonial vows with the king. His title was official, seen as an unbreakable bond. The concubines knew they were expendable once the king grew weary of them. The king could send them away when they have outstripped their use. That at least was Charles' only advantage over them.

Erik was also walking about the altar, speaking to the kings and queens he had invited to his wedding, but his eyes surreptitiously looked over to his young husband occasionally, waiting to see if he would take off the mask yet, but he did not. A loud gong resounded, announcing the last ritual of the wedding. It would take place in the ceremonial wedding chamber, where King Erik and Prince Charles must physically unite to signify their union. Prince Charles tried to control the fluttering in his stomach and the trembling of his knees, thankful that his garment hid his fear. He had his own doubts in marrying the arrogant king, but he had no choice in the matter. He wondered, how could there be any love in this union? Consigned as this man's husband for appearance's sake, he would only serve as the king's prince consort in name. His role was similar to the concubines the living in the king's harem by the hundreds (he did not know their real numbers and it is possible this information was greatly exaggerated). The purpose of his betrothal to the king was a sacred one, for with this marriage, they will forge a unification between Shi'ar and Genosha and ensure the strength of both their Kingdoms. So when the gong reverberated around the altar, he stood still. He felt a hand touch his hip and he looked up to see the King holding him and guiding him towards a passageway beyond the altar.

"Come, my prince."Erik said gently and Charles shivered slightly, walking as carefully as he possibly could so as not to trip. It would have embarrassed him if he lost his poise before his majesty. The king led him up a flight of steps and he noticed that several women followed them, about twelve or so. Charles sought out his sister and he saw that Raven and her princess consort were off to dine at an extravagant feast to honor him and the king, but both he and the king will not join them. He was to spend three days and three nights with his husband and no one knew how afraid he was of the prospect. He was a chaste youth, not knowing the touch of a lover's lips or how to make love. He had hoped that in time, he would know how to do so to please the king. The king led him by the hand into a dimly lit room, illuminated only by fragrant oils smoldering within glass lamps surrounding them and in the middle of the room, the largest bed he had ever seen in his life. White furs covered the corners of the bed, with numerous satin pillows and the coverlet of the bed itself was of a red damask of intertwining roses and thorns.

King Erik trained his dark eyes on him and how the king stares at him so. Charles stood awkwardly close by the bed, unsure of what will occur. The king took his long cape off, letting it drop upon the carpeted floor and then he went to Charles and led him to sit and kneel upon the bed. Charles was conscious of the women who had followed them into the bedchamber. These women are the king's concubines, whose purpose was to arouse them both and aid in their lovemaking. Erik had handpicked them to join him and Charles in an orgy. It startled Charles when they started touching him, kissing his neck and his cheeks, caressing him through his clothes and his blush deepened as the heat rose from his body. He looked up with languid eyes to see that the women partly undressed his king; they removed his cassock, but left his pants and his dress shirt on. They kissed the king's chest and his throat, fondling his sex through his clothes and then the king kissed one and then another woman as they crowded over him. These women had on voluminous gauzy gowns with low bodices, their attire meant to seduce and to readily expose themselves and Charles found that he was not immune to their charms.

King Erik caressed his leg while the strange women fondled him, whose names he did not even know and he was getting aroused by their ministrations. A woman giggled when Erik reached out to squeeze her breasts and from what Charles could see, more of the women crowded about Erik, trying to get his attention diverted to them instead of his artless groom. Charles himself continued to receive attention from the other women and he let them. He closed his eyes from beneath his white mask, the women nodding in agreement amongst themselves to leave his mask on him. They did not want their king getting interested in him at all, out of their jealousy over his position. But they were too late. King Erik was intensely curious to see his face. He wanted the young prince to take his own mask off, but he still did not make any move to do so. He was getting impatient with everything else. He must see the prince's face. He pushed some of the women away from himself and reached for Charles. They did not kiss his lips yet and he was glad. Erik wanted to kiss him first. He reached for the back of Charles' neck and drew him close so they would kiss. The young prince was overcome by the king's passionate kisses. His eyes widened and then he closed them again as he parted his lips, allowing the king's tongue to enter his trembling mouth. It felt as if the women touching him suddenly disappeared and for a moment, it was only him and the king. Their lips touched and he suddenly felt like as if he was floating, his heart raced as he drowned in these heated kisses. He moaned out loud, breaking the kiss when Erik suddenly reached for his clothed sex and fondled him. Erik had felt his erection instantly, the moment he touched him. Now Erik wanted to see his face all the more. He reached for one of Charles' shoulders and using his free hand, he pushed the mask away from Charles' eyes and Erik finally saw his face.

 _Oh what a beauty_! Erik thought, awed and pleased by Charles' appearance. The prince was gasping softly, red lips parted slightly as he struggled to draw in breath. His pale skin glowed in the dimness of the room, slightly freckled, yet creamy and fair. The skin at his neck was soft and tender to the touch as the king kept on holding him to stare at his face. His face. The shape of his face was both effeminate and manly. The king was initially drawn to those beautiful, sensuous lips that he could not stop staring at them early on at the ceremony and beneath that, the prince's rounded chin. His nose was slightly hooked and the king thought it did not lessen his attractiveness. It actually enhanced it. Above all, Charles' eyes drew him in. It's as if the gods had plucked all the blue hues of the sky and the sea and placed them into his tender gaze. He'd never seen anything as bright and beautiful as those expressive, large and deep-set blue eyes. He wanted to keep staring into them, to grow lost in them that nothing else seemed to matter. The other women tried to draw the king's attention again, fondling his manhood with aggressive ardor, but their touch annoyed him instead.

"Leave us!"He thundered out, shocking the women to hear their lord dismissing them so callously. Erik glared around at them.

"Are the lot of you deaf? I said leave me with him!"

The women were crestfallen, their shoulders sagging at the dismissal. King Erik had not spoken to them like that before. They had failed to draw the king away from his fair groom. They pouted and cried as they left reluctantly, glaring out at Charles. When the last of them had gone down the steps, Erik immediately stood up to lock the door. He went back to Charles and he held him rashly in his arms, raining his face with hungry kisses and Charles moaned softly as the king sucked and licked roughly at his throat. Erik nibbled possessively at the prince's lower lip and suckled upon it, making him cry out even louder as the other fondled his sex again. Charles trembled in his arms, his innocent blue eyes moist and full of feeling as he met the king's gaze directly. Erik had to stop for a moment to admire his handsomeness.

"You're beautiful!"Erik said huskily and Charles blushed and turned his head away.

"I apologize if I must say something otherwise, my lord. You are too kind to say such words. In the Shi'ar Empire, I am considered the ugliest prince that ever lived. They hid me in a forbidden valley to prevent my own people from killing me for my hideousness," Charles said in a soft and wounded voice, his eyes rimmed with tears.

Erik was silent for a moment."Would this be the reason that you kept on wearing the mask?"Erik asked him gently.

Charles nodded and swallowed thickly, his blush deepening as the king gazed at him in disbelief. He reached out and tenderly lifted Charles' chin.

"How could you think that? Look at you! You are a vision of true beauty! An angel sent to me by the heavens!"

Charles shook his head weakly, eyes imploring as he held the king's gaze."You must understand, my lord. I was born into a clan who must transform. My mother is a human and her humanity runs so strongly in my veins that I am left unable to transform like my kin. They initially thought my growth was somehow just stilted, but when I had come to adolescence and I had failed to 'transmute', they locked me away. Do you not realize what a curse that is?"

Erik had suspected as much. Charles was the odd one out; a human that should not have been born among the Phasers, for his existence was an insult to their kind. This was why they cloistered him, to prevent his own people from hurting him. Phasers, even with human mothers are capable of transforming, but this skill was not passed on to Charles. Erik gently reached out and caressed his cheek affectionately, feeling sorry for the poor young prince.

"Dear one, we are now married. No need worry about them. You belong with me. This is all you must care about,"

Charles fought back his tears at hearing those words, but it was a losing battle. His tears streamed down his cheeks and Erik kissed them away, holding him in his arms. What a sweet and innocent young man he is! Erik saw no artifice in him. He could only see his beauty and his gentle manner. He had wanted to kiss and possess him yet he decided that he needed to comfort him first. Propped up on his side upon the bed, he caressed Charles' waist.

"Perhaps you are still offended by what I had done to you when we were young, when I made you go down on your knees,"Erik prompted, quirking one eyebrow up.

Charles' eyes widened at that and he blushed furiously, putting a hand to his mouth."My lord, I did not think you would remember that for it had been so long ago,"

"I was actually thinking about you while I had marched north with my soldiers to bring down another kingdom whose people had sought war with me,"

"Oh,"

"Why did you snub me then, when I greeted you?"

"My lord, it was because I was such an impressionable little boy then and several servants informed me that you were...you were...that is, you think highly of yourself. Forgive me for thinking ill of you at that time,"Charles said in a soft and unsure voice.

Erik chuckled at him, knowing he was about to say some other word that best described him, but was too mortified to say what it was."What you thought of me was the truth, so don't fret over it. I learned my lesson that night and I have you to thank for, with the way I turned out now,"

Charles could only gaze at him in disbelief, his head tilted endearingly that Erik wanted to rain his face with kisses. He'd never met someone so innocent before. His concubines had entered his kingdom already knowledgeable in the art of seduction. This was quite refreshing, to be with someone so pure. He reached out and tenderly caressed Charles' blushing cheek.

"Are you afraid of me?"Erik asked throatily.

Charles let out a shivering breath and momentarily closed his eyes, licking his red lips thoughtfully. Erik felt his heartbeat quicken just watching him do that, his stiffening member aching within the confines of his pants. The young prince slowly opened his eyes, mouth set in an anxious line.

"Yes, my lord. I cannot lie to you. I am afraid,"Charles said with a slight tremble in his voice.

"You have nothing to fear, my prince!"Erik said with feeling and hugged him close. Charles uttered a gasp of surprise and then he felt Erik's thin lips press against his own. The king was very gentle with him this time as he kissed him; kissing his face, throat and his lips. He felt the urgency there, yes, but he also felt the tenderness. He didn't think the king would be like this, what with his reputation preceding him. He was savage in bed as he is in the battlefield. Erik straddled him, hands wandering about blindly, feeling for the hooks and the catches of the young prince's clothing, until his fingers found his burning skin beneath the layers of fabric. Covetously, he traced his fingers over Charles' chest. His thumb gently touched the nub of the prince's nipple and Charles moaned into his mouth, eyes going wide and then dreamy as Erik caressed both his nipples, rolling them about his fingers and squeezing at them, sending flashes of electric heat within them. Charles' cheeks grew even redder, he felt feverish with desire as Erik kept at it and then Erik's hand slowly traced down his flat, muscled belly, undoing his sash, then he was pushing down on the waistband of Charles' pants.

Charles gasped as Erik's hot fingers touched the skin of his hips, possessive yet gentle. Charles was lying back upon the pillows, letting his king touch him all over, in a state of semi-undress. His hands thrown back in abandon, legs trembling and wide open so that Erik may straddle him. Charles had kept his eyes closed; the blood beat coursing through him, pounding in his ears and his chest. He didn't even realize he was making these breathy moans of arousal and then he opened his eyes slowly. The king was looking down at his manhood and he blushed deeply again. It mortified him and yet he couldn't deny the king if the other wanted to gaze at his body. Erik smiled in a lewd way and then he was bending towards Charles, his face inches from Charles' sex. It was already half-hard, pinkish. He carefully took it in his hand, eliciting a stifled cry from Charles, who shut his eyes again, shoulders giddily starting at the thrill of the touch and then Erik kissed the tip of his sex and licked it.

Charles writhed and trembled, tears starting from his closed eyes. The king was kissing him down there! He let out a desperate whimper when Erik's head began to bob up and down as he sucked and licked him into a state of ecstasy. He didn't think it would feel this good, touched like this by the king. Charles' body was emanating such heat that the king could feel it upon his own skin. His tongue lapped up at Charles' glans, teeth scraping and teasing. More howls from the prince and he smiled inwardly. I'll make you quiver and beg for it; you will want me so badly that it will be the only thought to preoccupy your mind, Erik thought with satisfaction and then he used his other hand to massage and caress Charles' balls and the prince was growing even more restless as he thrashed about. His hips involuntarily bucked up for more of the king's ministrations, quickening along with his breath and then he finally climaxed, his body stuttering up once, one loud cry issuing forth from him, then his arching back sagged on to the bed. He put a trembling hand to his mouth and looked down at the king, breathless, his wide and creamy brow shining with a sheen of sweat. His eyes looked anguished, unable to comprehend this intense pleasure that still ran through him, sending spasms and tiny shocks of sensation to run throughout his body.

Erik had swallowed Charles' come as it gushed down his throat and within is mouth. He licked his lips indecently, smiling up at Charles, still holding his glistening manhood in his hand. He'd had his fill of young men before and knew what gasping moments to subject the prince to. Propped upon one arm, Erik remained lying on his stomach, his other hand holding the prince's sex suddenly squeezed down hard and Charles wailed out in a trembling voice, knees shaking, unable to clamp his legs together. He stared down at the king with wide, imploring eyes.

"M-My king. I'm still...it's too much, it's...it's oh please!"Charles stuttered, tears streaming down his eyes now. Such beautiful tears!

"Are you somehow refusing me, my young lord? I forbid you from ever saying that to me!"Erik leered out at him and the agonized young prince could only agree.

"If it pleases my lord."Charles said in a tearful, wounded voice.

"Oh but I do not want to be the only one who draws pleasure from this. Did you not enjoy what I did to you?"

"I...I...yes, my lord."Charles said hesitantly.

Erik teased him some more, pretending to demand a clear answer."What do you mean? Did you or did you not enjoy it?"

Charles flushed deeply again and looked down at Erik, flustered. He spoke in a barely audible voice."I enjoyed it, sire."

"Very well. Would you like to return the favor then?"

Charles' brow furrowed anxiously, blue eyes over-bright. He nodded demurely and it was all Erik could do not to laugh out loud. He was simply a sweet young man! Erik released him and began to take off all his clothes, momentarily turning away from Charles as the other sat up straight. Charles bit his lower lip unconsciously, looking on at his king's naked body, admiring his handsome profile. His skin still burned, yearning for more kisses from Erik. He admired the king's long and muscled torso, his broad shoulders and his sinewy back when the other had turned away from him. He caught a fleeting sight of the king's backside when the other stood abruptly to remove his trousers and his eyes darkened with desire just seeing him move about. The king faced him and he shuffled closer to Charles, who had looked on at his movements and Erik saw that look of lust on his face. Erik smiled at him insolently and Charles realized he was gazing so familiarly at the king; He grew embarrassed over what he was doing. The king reached out to remove Charles' clothing from his body and Charles shivered when the king's fingers grazed his skin. Erik knelt closer to him and then Charles' eyes fell upon the king's manhood.

"Oh!"Charles automatically cried out in fear, feeling slightly idiotic that he could articulate nothing but that one simple word. He was not such an innocent that he would not know what manner of union their bodies are about to consummate. He knew the king would have to penetrate him, Raven informing him on what will happen when the king takes him to the matrimonial bed. His lower lip trembled, eyes going wide because the king was just so big. He didn't know if he could take him on since he was virginal; untouched. He should have listened to Princess Emma when she told him to 'practice' and he scoffed at it, immensely humiliated that he would have to touch his own backside like that. Erik smiled at his visible apprehension. He gently caressed Charles' cheek.

"I'll be gentle since this is your first,"

Charles tried to smile back, his smile looking more like a grimace of fear, eyebrows drawn together anxiously and Erik found him all the more endearing for it. He kissed him again, licking at his lower lip and nibbling at the soft lushness of it. Charles reached out and clung on to his bare shoulders, tasting his own musky come upon the king's tongue. He closed his eyes and willed himself to draw courage for the king. He moaned into the kisses, his senses spinning; he was growing light-headed as he returned the fervor of the king's kisses. He restlessly ran his hands into the king's hair, while the king had his hands at his waist. The kissing grew torrid, reckless and then Erik pulled back gasping, eyes heavy-lidded with desire and then he reached for Charles' hand, guiding it so the other could stroke his manhood.

"You can touch me if you want to," Erik whispered against his cheek, breathing laboriously, his hot breath sending prickles of lust rising upon Charles' skin. Charles was gasping as well, eyes looking drugged as the king made him touch and stroke his massive sex. Charles felt as if his fingers had just wrapped around a hard and slick tree-branch, the king's sex was so rigid and hot that it mesmerized him. He watched as the king made his hand quicken and tighten over it, his breath quickening as he grunted and groaned in pleasure. Charles started in shock when the king drew in a sharp breath and bit down on the rounded part of his shoulder; he felt the gush of something hot and wet spreading over his own palm and he looked down at the king's erect manhood, as it contracted in his hand. Erik was still breathing raggedly, his neck and his face red with his exertions, but he smiled languidly at Charles' expression. He kissed his lips gently and then he stood up, going towards one of the cabinets and he took an object from within. He brought it over to the bed to give to Charles.

"I have a wedding gift for you. Here,"

Charles looked down curiously at the glinting object in his hand. It was a golden chain necklace, with a round bottle as a pendant, the size of a small apple. The bottle contained a pale and clear blue fluid. It twinkled in the faint light of the lamps. Charles had no idea what it was and looked up questioningly at the king. Erik took the bottle from him and shook it about, the chain slapping against the glass and making tinkling noises.

"You shall wear it always. All my concubines have this. It is a special oil. Not only does it...ease the entry, it cleanses it as well. If this phial runs out, you need only to ask my eunuch, his name is Unus and he will give you some,"

Charles was speechless, brow furrowing once more at this oddity. He watched as the king unscrewed the cap and poured a generous amount of the oil on to his fingers. He put the bottle aside on a nearby table and then smiling indecently, he used his free hand to push Charles back and move one thigh away so that his fingers could enter Charles' backside, the ones slathered with the oil. Charles' eyes widened in shock as the king's two fingers entered him. It embarrassed him initially; his cheeks aflame and wondering how he could find pleasure in the act. Erik knew what to do. He was probing, fingers seeking that elusive gland inside Charles and then he knew he found it when Charles' expression looked stricken, legs shaking uncontrollably.

"Oooohhhh!"Charles cried out wantonly. He shut his eyes tight, biting down on his lower lip to stop himself from crying out. The king subjected him to a sensation he had not felt before. His control broke and he was screaming out in his unabashed lust as the king jabbed over and over at that gland. His own manhood stood at full mast, seeming to seek his belly button as the king worked on him. He came perhaps twice more and he was hyperventilating when the king finally stopped, his head turned to the side, arms thrown back and still clutching frantically at the sheets. His chest heaved as he looked down at the king, who smiled back at him knowingly. Unexpectedly, Erik straddled him and reached for one wrist, bringing it up close to Charles' head and his other hand guided Charles' legs to part even wider. He then positioned his sex on to the quivering hole of Charles' backside and he slid in slowly. The pain was unbearable at the onset and Charles whimpered and moaned, brow furrowed. He shut his eyes close again as he tried to bear with the pain.

"Hmmmpph!"Charles moaned in a muffled voice, biting down on his lower lip as he clung on to Erik, urging him to continue. The king moved his hips slowly, careful not to quicken so as not to disfigure Charles. Charles' grasp on his arms tightened, his countenance agonized. What the king was doing to him hurt him profoundly, but he knew they must finish this act. He opened his eyes and looked up at the king's face as the other loomed over him. His mouth had hung open, hips rocking up against Charles, the strokes slow and somehow considerate as Erik painstakingly moved over him. The king found pleasure in taking him and he took comfort in that fact. His hands were slick as he clutched and clung on to Erik, their sweaty bodies rocking against each other now as Charles lifted his own hips as the king pummeled into him. Pain, the pain was immense but slowly, oh so slowly melting into pleasure, the king angled his hips in a way that he found that pleasure center in the prince's backside once more, the head of his penis rubbing up against it hard. Charles' fingers dug on to Erik's back, face a grimace of total surrender. His legs trembled and tightened at Erik's waist as they continued.

"Haaaah! Haaaah! Haaaah!"Charles howled out lustily when the pain disappeared and only the pleasure of both heat and fullness filled his backside. It was a feeling so indescribable he didn't care if his mind became wiped clean by it. He wanted to lose himself in it now because all was lust; all was a fever of the senses and he was desperate to reach the peak of it. His head restlessly rolled about, unable to deny this intense feeling building in him. He threw his head back and screamed louder when Erik pummeled him faster, harder.

 _I'm losing my mind...I'm losing myself_ , Charles thought dimly as he opened his heavy-lidded eyes to look upon the king's face. His handsome king's face contorted in a grimace of lust. They are both in a state of animal heat now as they rocked against each other, frantic to reach the climax of this act. In the middle of Charles' body was this steady hammering. It was beating in time to his heart, rushing through his veins and sending the blood rush up into his face, beating at his temples as it thudded within his ears. It was making his vision hazy as the room seemed to light up, incandescent. His gold ankle bands as well as his arm bands made clinkling sounds as they clashed against each other, wrapped up as he was around Erik and holding on as if he awaited Armageddon and all that he ever knew would be wiped clear from him. He threw his head back and let out a piercing scream of ecstasy when he reached the cusp of his earth-shattering orgasm. He felt Erik stiffen on top of him and the other voiced out a strangled groan. He jumped slightly when he felt the hot gush of Erik's seed within him. His own sex still spasmodically stirred against his belly, which glistened with his own emission. Charles closed his eyes as he savored these new-found sensations that brought him so much pleasure and he held on to it, wanting to remember this beautiful moment between him and Erik. He gently caressed the back of Erik's head and held him in his arms, groggily kissing his cheek and his shoulder.

He could feel Erik's heartbeat against his chest and their hearts seem to beat in time with each other, frantic within their own bodies and then slowly ebbing, bodies cooling as they embraced. Erik had shoved his head on to Charles' shoulder. He lifted his head slowly and then he regarded Charles gently, his eyes searching. Charles thought the king was about to say some snide comment or perhaps the other would tease him. No such thing occurred. The king just stared on with that lusty heat in his eyes. Charles' cheeks were still hectic, the rosy blush high upon them and he tore his gaze away from the king's eyes, timid and slightly embarrassed. Erik bent down and kissed his lips gently again, his tongue prodded for Charles to open his mouth and Charles obliged him. He awkwardly reached out to touch Erik's chest. They kissed slowly, the passion within never waning and as they kissed, Charles felt the king's manhood stir within him. He was still exquisitely sensitive...raw, and he could not stop the howls of pleasure from rising from his throat as the king took him again, all silent labor as the king's hips thrusted frantically into him, his eyes closing this time, for seeing the young prince's sexual abandon brought him too close to be countenanced.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here I am, posting while things are still under maintenance XD Hope things will be smoothed out soon, AO3 and thanks for all your hard work. :) <3 Don't worry, all your lovely members will wait patiently.
> 
> About the fic: There is a great influence from the X-men comicverse in this chapter. There is also a touch of 'Children of Dune' here as well. This work will be my lengthiest yet, because I will have to go out of my comfort zone and write more than my standard chapters of 10-13. I enjoyed writing this particular chapter because you will see Charles' character really coming out. ;)  
> Spoiler for the next chapter: Will be more on angst and a whole lot of smut XD
> 
> Thank you as always to all the people who support me. Without you I would not have the strength to keep on writing. Love you guys! <3
> 
> P.S. If anything needs fixing please tell me. Let me just repeat for the sake of people who don't know me or my way of writing. I don't have MS Word. I use Notepad. It does not have autocorrect. Sometimes I would double a word or even make really horrible mistakes so please, correct me. I don't have a beta. I work alone. I try to use some online tools but some are crappy or too slow. English is not my primary language. I wish I was an English major so I would know how to write, lol. I only have my passion for stories and my drive to write, even if I am a crappy writer. So please, I would really appreciate the help. Thanks again :)

 

The feel of a warm body lying next to his startled him into wakefulness. Charles was lying naked on his back, one arm thrown over his head when he came to. He breathed through his nose, feeling strangely exhausted, as if he had not slept at all. He felt an aching within the bones of his hips, which throbbed slightly as he moved about. He shifted and he felt the press of Erik's arm splayed out upon the sheet, close to his shoulder. The king was still fast asleep. Charles blinked his eyes repeatedly, wiping at them with his fingers, trying to clear his sleep-bogged sight and then he sidled closer to Erik to watch him as he slumbered on. The king slept, lying on his side and Charles stared at his face in admiration. Charles thought he was a very handsome man, a complete mismatch to him that it suddenly made him conscious of his own appearance. The king had called him beautiful; he had even called him an angel and he never thought of himself that way. All his life, he had felt so ugly and he had suffered only humiliation from his own people when he saw the disdain in their eyes, even recalling a time when a few of them found out he was powerless and they called him awful names. He will never gain recognition as a Phaser. Erik was right. He could leave off trying to care what they thought of him. A new chapter in his life awaits him here in Genosha, in the arms of his king. He sighed contentedly and went on admiring his king's appearance. Erik's eyes were deep-set like his, but much narrower, his eyebrows set in a straight line that touched his long, curly lashes, lending his gaze a piercing intensity and making him appear intimidating. His eyes were also blue, but shot with gray and green that one could not tell his exact eye color and it made his eyes all the more fascinating to look into, if one were not to falter before his penetrating stare. Charles was envious of his manly and regal profile; his nose was straight, cheeks and chin chiseled and his lips set with a strong, thin line. His light brown hair cut short and straight, parted to the side and a few locks had fallen over his wide forehead. Charles hesitantly reached out, wanting to touch the king's face.

His fingers hovered close to Erik's cheek, trembling slightly because he was afraid of waking the other up. His expression grew dreamily contemplative as he remembered the things that happened between them last night. The fiery passion with which the king had made love to him; the torrid kisses and the heated caresses. He jumped in shock when Erik's hand suddenly shot up and drew his fingers close to complete the act. Erik was feigning sleep after all. He opened his eyes and smiled languidly at Charles and the other could not help it when he blushed under the king's insolent gaze.

"My lord, I didn't mean to-"

"What have I told you? You can touch me any time you want to. You are free to do so,"

"If ... if it pleases you, sire," Charles said in a small voice.

Erik yawned and inched closer. He slung an arm about Charles' waist and kept on smiling at the other, his gaze dreamy and soft. Charles still looked up at him innocently and it tickled him that the other was such a tender-hearted soul. At the back of his mind, he was still curious over Shi'ar's true motives in sending this young man his way. Innocent looking he may be, the prince was still a conundrum that he must figure out. He had two more days and nights to seek his answer. The daylight had streamed in through the window with a faint wash of color; gray and somehow overcast. It must still be dawn. Most of the lamps had died down, but he had enough light to gaze at his beautiful husband, the object of his affections. He nuzzled Charles' cheek gently and he felt the other's skin grow hot at his nearness; that beautiful flush back on his face, blue eyes moist with feeling. Flashes of their sexual congress from last night came to him and he felt the beginnings of a dull stirring within his sex, his belly hurting with a need he never felt before. When was the last time that he ever felt like this with a woman or a man?

He recalled how Charles had surrendered to the squalid act of sex with him, moaning lustily and shamelessly circling his hips up for more of him. Charles had clung to him and responded with such aching and honest passion, his eyes also going to the other's erect manhood and he knew the prince was not faking the desire he felt. Seeing Charles' eyebrows knitted together in sexual agony, biting down on his sensuous red lips and screaming incomprehensible cries of desperation, sobbing at the ecstasies of the flesh that only his king could give, Erik had come to a decision that night that Charles should only be his alone. He didn't know why this sudden possessiveness over this sweet young man seized him. He had initially thought of sharing his bed between him and his concubines, with fantasies of debauched orgies and sexual Bacchanalia in his mind. Things had changed. He now wanted Charles all to himself. His hot fingers suddenly traced seductively over the bones of Charles' hip, stroking at his pale and smooth skin covetously. Charles' gaze went to his seeking fingers and then the other turned up those round blue eyes on him, eyebrows drawing close in sweet agitation, lower lip trembling slightly that Erik lost it again.

He roughly grabbed for Charles, making him cry out in surprise and he kissed him with desperate suddenness. Charles did not even push him away, he welcomed the king's frantic need for him, embraced him, kissing him back passionately, his sweet wet tongue slid into Erik's mouth, touching tongues with him. Erik's kisses were gnashing, nibbling and dragging on to Charles' lips and the aching in his loins grew full-throttle. He saw the bottle of oil was close by the pillows. He grabbed at it with shaking fingers, but Charles reached out and gently held his hand.

"Let me do it for you, my king," Charles said in a soft and throaty voice that sent a thrill through him.

He liked hearing Charles' voice, deep and somehow eloquent. Charles kept his half-lidded eyes on him as he poured the oil upon his hand, returned the cap of the bottle, carelessly shoving it away and then he reached for Erik's hardening shaft and fondled him, his touch an agonizingly tender caress. Erik winced and he drew in a sharp breath, propping himself up on his side so that Charles could continue. He knew Charles must have been so exhausted from last night, his hips and backside probably aching from his King's repeated abuse and yet his eyes were still full of heat and desire for him. It seemed to stun him deeply that Charles would be like this with him. Charles' darkening eyes held him fast, his hand a hypnotic dream that ran up and down his oil-slicked shaft slowly, squeezing gently and Erik could not stop himself from biting down on his lower lip.

"Faster," Erik prodded in a husky and strained voice, face going red and Charles followed his King's orders, reducing him to a senseless state, hovering upon rapture. Stuttering, breathless groans escaped him until he couldn't stand it anymore. He shoved Charles' hand away, roughly parting his legs and he moved on top of the other. The prince's expression decayed into glutted lust when he entered him. Exhausted and used up as they were that fire...that need would not go away and they had to sate it as they rode that wave of sexual capitulation. Erik, used to having revelries with his concubines and whose prowess in bed rivaled that of his legendary powers, had the stamina to continue, but he was somehow impressed that Charles strove to please him and match his own desire. He felt Charles' sex stir against his lower belly as he possessed him, his face scrunched up in the agony of his lust. They both orgasmed and then they surrendered to sleep, after melting against each other in a state of soft caresses and kisses.

Erik allowed Charles to sleep in since he was so exhausted and he wanted his young lover rested and ready for more of him. He allowed his chamber maids to clean the room quietly and afterwards, he took a quick and bracing bath, attending to some matters of the state and giving instructions to Jean Grey. The time passed by quickly and it was almost midday when he went back into the room, with Charles still sleeping quietly. The hand maidens chosen to attend to Charles' clothes came in as well and laid out only a silky, dark blue robe for the young prince to wear. Erik hovered close by to make sure they do not disturb his husband's slumber. A meal was already prepared at the patio, awaiting the young prince and Erik sat out there to gaze at his city. He had such pride over it, seeing the activity even from a distance. The abode of each citizen within his walls painted white, the streets silvery because of the stones his father had chosen to use for the foundation and above...the tiled, dark blue spires and roofs of each home gleaming magnificently under the sun. His people flourished under his rule and though he encountered the commonplace burdens of a ruler, settling disputes and any unrest or strife, he had overcome them all somehow. He saw only the strength and prosperity of his people, looking at the sight before him. The town square and the marketplaces are actively full, with no one left wanting because Erik had ensured that his citizens would have the means to earn their wages. For generations, his family had been a bastion against the other kingdoms, growing ever stronger because of their monopoly over the mining mountains, for there's a great demand across all realms for their ores. Both he and his people had prospered from its abundance for some time now. He knew he could still do much more with it and in his mind's eye, he saw the possibilities that opened up before him as long as he worked relentlessly to reach his goals. He grew lost in his reveries that he did not notice his young prince approaching tentatively, his feet bare.

When Charles was close enough, only then did he look up to see him dressed in the dark blue robe, which trailed and flowed about him silkily. His wavy, dark brown hair, cut very short and tinged red was not combed, for the young prince had been unable to secure one into the room. Erik thought he looked so enticing nonetheless. The blue color of his garment emphasized that beautiful blue hue of his eyes, his pale skin growing rosy under the natural light of the skies. The skin at Charles' pale throat had traces of the kiss marks he had planted upon it from last night. He still wore his ankle and arm bands, glinting and clinking about as he moved. Queen Raven informed Erik through an exchange of missives that to proudly display his heritage, Charles should keep wearing them and must never take them off. He still thought them unnecessary and too showy, but they suited Charles well. He smiled encouragingly at his prince, indicating that the other should sit close to him upon the cushion seats. They sat before a low table, designed this way so that those seated may cross their legs upon the carpeted floor before it. The balcony rails, installed with a lowering mechanism afforded King Erik and the prince a stunning view of his city. Charles stared out at its beauty, awestruck and this pleased Erik somehow. Only one female attendant took care of their dining needs so that Charles wouldn't feel uncomfortable and Erik signaled for her to prepare the table. Erik only drank tea and ate some fruit while waiting for Charles to join him even though he himself was ravenous.

A dark red tablecloth covered the long and low table; exotic fruits of all kinds placed in silver and golden bowls next to crystal-cut glasses. It was all arranged tastefully and Erik saw that Charles admired the setting. He did not make a move to take any food yet, even as the attendant placed steaming platefuls of savory bread and stews before him. The attendant was one of the choice few granted permission to see the young prince for the first time without his mask on and seeing him confirmed that indeed, the gossiping within the halls of the royal court proved to be true. He was a beautiful young man. Charles' attention was to him and the young man gazed at him gently with his mesmerizing blue eyes. Erik tried to avert his own gaze, faintly blushing himself because he was growing enamored with the young prince again.

"Well go on! Eat! You must be so hungry, having nothing to eat since last night,"Erik said in a gravelly voice. Charles looked unsure on what to eat, the table laden with many sumptuous choices. After a moment, his eyes alighted on a meal that enticed his appetite. He timidly reached out for a plate of sweet cakes. He began to eat and the way he ate was so quaint, his manners impeccable that it was a delight to watch him. The King harbored dark thoughts inside his head as he watched Charles' eating. Those red lips just can't seem to quit arousing him. He wanted to do something salacious to his young prince's mouth that he did not care if one person was present to see them. Charles was half-way through his meal when Erik suddenly scooped up some creamy and sweet sauce, made of churned honey. He held it out for Charles, using his own fingers.

"Here, have a taste of this,"Erik said huskily and Charles awkwardly reached out to retrieve it from him, using his hands, but Erik shook his head.

"Eat it from my fingers,"He purred out and Charles' innocent eyes grew round, somehow unsure of what Erik was asking of him. The sauce was already dripping down Erik's wrist and dangerously oozing between his fingers and down his palm. Charles hesitantly drew close and ate a fraction of the morsel, trying to be demure. Erik chuckled softly at his reluctance.

"Use your tongue, my prince! Lick it off!"Erik leered out at him and Charles tried to give him a small, faltering smile, wondering at the lewdness of his king's mind. He had no choice but to lap up the rest of the sauce, his tongue moving over Erik's fingers, thence to his palm and his wrist. Erik watched him, his manhood roiling angrily against his trousers, just seeing Charles eating the honey. Charles was blushing hotly, conscious of the attendant who struggled not to look at them and was losing the will not to do so. Charles began sucking on the king's fingers and finally Erik couldn't stand it any longer. Using the hand that Charles had licked clean, he grasped Charles by the neck and shoved him down upon the cushions, causing the other to cry out in surprise and the attendant to make a small noise of shock. He moved on top of Charles, pushing roughly at the folds of his robe, knowing of his nakedness underneath.

"M-My lord-"Charles gasped out as Erik straddled him. Erik swooped down and kissed him frantically, seeming to eat up his lips, tasting the sweetness of the honey upon his breath. Charles could not deny his lord and so he reached for his shoulders and held on to him with trembling fingers, his face hot with shame, yet understanding that Erik desired him and he must give himself over freely even if someone was watching. Erik growled into his mouth as he kissed him, his hands possessively running all over Charles' body. He looked down at the red-faced beauty beneath him, whose eyes remained closed, rosy lips shining and plump due to his ministrations. Charles turned his head slightly to the side, with his brows furrowing in a state of anguish. Erik kissed the young man's face all over, his closed eyes, his cheeks and the bridge of his nose; licked at his chin and his lips and then he sucked hard at Charles' throat, adding more kiss marks upon it. Charles moaned softly, eyelids trembling with feeling as Erik kept on kissing him this way, his own hands reaching out and grasping at Erik's clothes restlessly. Erik was strangely in heat for him and he did not know why. It's like there's this deep longing in him to touch, to possess Charles' innocence and wipe it from him. He suddenly noticed the wide-eyed attendant watching them, immensely shocked by her king's actions. She had never seen the king act this way with his concubines and she had seen him eat with one favored concubine or another at some point. Erik stopped kissing his moaning conquest and sneered out at the girl.

"Are you just going to stand there to keep gawping at us?"Erik drawled out at her. She looked like she had received a dousing of ice water, starting up as if electrocuted, knees trembling and then she curtsied nervously and scurried off as quickly as she could, fleeing at such speed that she tripped. Once she was down the stairs she fell face-down, but she collected herself and ran on. She was afraid of King Erik's wrath, true, but she was also rabid to share this enticing gossip with the other kitchen maids because it was so deliciously scandalous. The king was so taken by his groom that he couldn't stop himself from possessing him, even after they had spent so much time in the wedding chamber! She was smiling to herself when she entered the kitchen to give them the news.

Erik meanwhile, kept on kissing and fondling Charles desperately, nuzzling his face and his neck and grabbing hard at the folds of the wide-open robe of his prince's garment. He was grinding his hips up against Charles' hips, the press of their stiffening sexes sending an aching thrill through him. He flung a heated glance at the table, wondering what he could devise as a lubricant and then he saw the bottle of salad oil. He grabbed for it and went back to Charles, throwing the stopper of the bottle recklessly over his shoulder and pouring the oil upon his palm. He looked down and saw Charles remained lying down upon the cushions, pale legs wide open, giving him a full view of his naked body. His naked chest was heaving, skin gleaming slightly due to the heat of the moment, his sex fully erect. The robe had become rucked up, barely hanging from his shoulders. Charles had thrown up his arms in surrender, his expression sexually desperate, eyes darkly sensuous and teeth biting down in anticipation upon his lower lip. This sexual depravity in his prince just about drove him mad with lust. He slathered his own exposed sex with the oil and he straddled Charles, the other holding on to him with welcoming arms. He made love to him out there, their hips bucking up wildly against each other. They both moaned out loud, not caring if anyone heard them. It took a while for Erik to come and when he did, he felt extremely satisfied, watching Charles scream out loud when he made him climax. They collected themselves and sat back before the table to continue eating as if nothing untoward had happened.

Charles' face was still flushed, but he looked relaxed now, less uptight than how he was earlier. His blue robe was slipping down his right shoulder and he left it like that. His eyes looked dreamy and blissfully distant as he regarded the king and ate on, using his hands. He had his legs folded beneath him, slightly exposed because of the way the robe had become parted while Erik himself was leaning on the table, smiling at his prince with self-satisfaction. Charles' gaze went back to Erik's city again.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"Erik asked, picking up a bowl of fruit and sampling the luscious cuts of ripe melon within.

"Yes, my lord. I must admit, your kingdom is clearly the most impressive I have ever seen,"

"I've been to Shi'ar myself. I thought it majestic in its own right!"

"But my lord, my sister's kingdom is small in comparison to yours. I have visited other palaces and castles, but I've seen nothing like the vastness of your kingdom. My sister sometimes takes me with her when she travels. I was only able to do so with a mask on, pretending to be part of her retinue,"

Erik pitied the young prince of his past. He reached out and gently grasped his wrist."From now on, you will wear no mask. Not in my kingdom. I want them all to see how beautiful you look. You should be proud of yourself,"

Charles demurely looked down."I do not see myself as beautiful, my lord,"

"Charles, you want society to accept you, but how can others accept you if you cannot even accept yourself? I want you to see yourself the way I see you, so that you may know what a beauty you are!"

He lifted Charles' chin up so that the prince would meet his gaze and he smiled at him kindly, trying to encourage him. Charles finally nodded, relenting. They continued with their meal and Erik asked Charles on how conditions are faring at the Shi'ar empire. Charles appeared embarrassed by the question.

"I lived in the forbidden valley of Shi'ar, away from the citizens who would despise me, my king...so I know very little of the politics involved in my kingdom,"

"Surely, you have made such queries to your sister when she visits you,"

"I did ask her my lord, but she would tell me not to trouble myself of things I know nothing about,"Charles said, sounding depressed over his ignorance of worldly affairs, unable to offer up anything of interest to his king. Erik's expression darkened. Even Charles' own sister had hindered his growth, no wonder he was so innocent and so artless. His own concubines knowing more of the politics and current events of the present time.

"Well what have you been doing all this time in the forbidden valley then?"Erik did not mean for his voice to rise, but Charles heard the anger in his king's voice and his shoulders hitched up at it.

"I...I read the histories of all the known kingdoms, my lord, written upon tomes and scrolls. We have a great library in Shi'ar and my sister has ensured that I should have all the books I need to while away the time,"

Erik noted the trembling in his voice and took Charles' hand and kissed it."I beg your pardon if I raised my voice, dear one. I am angered that they've denied you so much. That you have been so sheltered all this time and you are left wanting and I cannot let this continue,"

"My lord?"

"I am frequently away on matters pertaining to my campaign, my sweet prince. I will make sure that my head adviser—her name is Jean Grey—will take care of any of your needs while I am off. I will inform her to get you an instructor to educate you and make sure you have books as well, if your interest still lies in such,"

Charles could not prevent the blush that rose to his cheeks, eyes trembling with feeling. His pale skin prevented him from hiding his feelings and Erik liked that about him. His innocence was not without its charm.

"Thank you, my lord!"

"I want to open you up to a great many things, Charles. Since you are my husband, you must be knowledgeable in politics and all current matters when you converse and mingle with other people. I do not wish to burden you, but these are the very necessary duties of a prince consort. We will be attending various functions and festive occasions, with you by my side, and I do not want any of them to look down upon you. These people can be contemptuous and cruel, I shall not mince and lie to you about that."

Erik could see the apprehension in his eyes, but Charles nodded gravely at the task that the king asked of him. He was the prince consort to the strongest king in all the realms after all. He must not embarrass Erik by acting fainthearted. Erik smiled at him, reaching out to clutch at the back of his neck affectionately.

"Histories of all the known kingdoms, eh? What do you know of Imaya?"Erik suddenly queried playfully, trying to test Charles' competence with history.

Charles' face brightened, finally overjoyed that he could offer up something that he did know. He sat up straight on his haunches, eyes lighting up."Our ancient history states that the very mountains where Imaya lies came into existence due to the bones of a great Acanti that crashed upon it many eons ago-"

"A Space Whale?"Erik said, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yes, my lord, and it is one of the reasons why traversing Imaya is such an arduous undertaking; it is because of the tears of the Acanti's ghost, made up of a combination of sand and snow, ever falling at intervals all about the Imayan countryside. They say the Acanti is crying out for its kin, wishing to reunite with them,"

"That is a beautiful and sad story, my young prince, but alas it's all but a fantastical fable. There must be a scientific reason for the unnatural weather and the rock formation that makes up Imaya,"Erik said, mildly amused by the fairy tale, not of his young husband who shared it.

"But it is true, my lord! Men have found scientific proof of the Acanti. A few scientists have culled pieces of Acanti bones from the Imayan mountainside," Charles said, his tone and his expression serious and then he continued."Legend has it that if you play a special round flute during a bad snowstorm, the storm will suddenly stop. At first, even the scientists thought it preposterous, but when they played the flute and the weather grew calm, they became believers,"

Erik smiled at his young and innocent prince, finding the story ridiculous, but wanting to humor the lad."Care to test that theory, Charles?"

Charles' brow furrowed."How so, my lord?"

"We leave now, for Imaya. I will have my men prepare an airship and we will traverse the borders of Imaya's mountains and wait out a storm. Where do we get this round flute you speak of?"

Charles' eyes grew wide and startled, unable to believe that the king would actually entertain the idea of going to Imaya right this instant to find the truth within the myth. Erik had wanted to go because he did recall seeing some Imayan citizens wearing strange round flutes about their necks and he saw a large, horn-like instrument above Imaya's gates. He had wondered what they were for and now he was curious to see if what Charles had said was true.

"In Imaya, my lord. The only place where you can find the instrument,"

Erik stood up and looked up at the skies. It was bright blue and clear, still near the middle of the afternoon."Let us go then,"

Erik took his hand and led him back into their bedroom. He picked up a device with buttons to summon one of his servants. A Royal Guard entered the room. It was Cyclops, who had joined him on his war campaign against Imaya.

"Your Majesty,"Cyclops said, bowing his head low. Charles shyly hid at Erik's back and looked over the side of the king's arm to peer at Cyclops, for his appearance was still unseemly. The Royal guard wore an odd, golden visor with a red, mirror-like glass over it and he sported an outfit of black leather, with red piping and black gloves. He was a handsome man; with red hair, chiseled cheeks and thick lips, but he could never rival the handsomeness of his king. He stood up straight and awaited the king's orders, clasping his hands at his back.

"Cyclops, prepare an airship for Imaya. Just one. My husband and I would like to do a bit of sightseeing. Have the maids ready an outfit each for me and my prince and I want only three Royal guards to join us, tell them we will leave at once!"

"Yes, my liege!"

Cyclops did not question him any further, nor did he hesitate to do what his king had wanted. He nodded quickly once more and turned about-face to accomplish the command. Charles admired Erik's commanding presence and how stately he was when he spoke to his servants, when the maids entered the room next to bring outfits that both he and Erik could choose from. When they had finished, a maid bowed before Charles, informing him that she will attend to him while Erik's own retinue followed him. Charles went down the steps after Erik had left, walking next to the young woman out into the garden to enter a marbled archway, leading to the bathing chambers. The maid informed him this would be his sole bathing chamber. He didn't even know he had one of his own. The maid that attended him suddenly tried to undress him and he blushed furiously, timidly pushing her hand away.

"Please leave me be! I wish to bathe alone!"Charles cried out, mortified and the maid readily obliged, bowing low and telling him she will wait outside until he gave the order for her to come in. She apologized for frightening him and hastily left. When he finished, the maid led Charles into a dressing chamber next to Erik's dressing chamber. Erik already had his dressing maidens accomplish the task of putting his clothes upon his body and they were arranging his cape about him. Charles had dressed by himself in the bathing chamber, wanting no one to look at him or attend to him, asking his attendant to gather his clothes so he may put them on alone. He felt awkward because when he was in the forbidden valley, he had done these things for himself. Erik looked him over appreciatively, finding him quite attractive in his brown outfit. Charles felt odd wearing the outfit given to him. He donned brown leather pants and a thin dress-shirt. Over this, he wore a brown jacket with dark brown leather stitching at the chest and he was also given a dark brown leather overcoat that he would wear over his garment. He had the coat slung over one arm. Erik wore his usual priestly garb, a common outfit in his kingdom. He wore a dark gray-violet cassock over a light gray shirt and dark-red violet pants. He had put on his black gloves and he held out his gloved hand for his prince. Charles went to him and then the king brushed off the maids arranging his garment and walked briskly out of the room, leading Charles onwards and not even seeing the maids curtsy before him and the prince.

Charles now had a view of the Genoshan kingdom's halls. Furnished with a modern design, the hallways of the Genoshan castle received a coloring of muted yellow, combined with earthen tones. The halls are vast and built with high, carved ceilings, with guards and servants all about, the floors composed of golden brown stones laid out with plush dark brown carpets and mounted upon the walls were simple burnished metal carvings and mirrors. Everything was effulgent yet contemporary. Indeed, a far cry from the small castle he had lived in back in Shi'ar's forbidden valley. The king knew which way to go and they immediately went down a dimly-lit, narrow-walled passageway that opened out to the king's private hangar. Numerous Imperial soldiers walked about, wearing the traditional reddish-brown garb. Their armor bore the emblem of Erik's Royal Crest; a red shield with horns sprouting outward. Charles looked about him with wide-eyed wonder, conscious of the men looking at him and then Erik led him straight to an airship, with four people standing about at attention and waiting for them. Charles recognized Cyclops, but he did not know the other Royal guards.

Erik held his hand out and introduced them to Charles."Charles, these are my most trusted Royal Guards. You've met Cyclops. The one next to him is Banshee. The fellow to his left is Havok, Cyclops' brother and lastly, Riptide."

The men bowed low before their king and his prince and Erik gestured they enter the airship, with Erik guiding Charles and holding on to his back. Erik helped Charles into his seat and was putting his seatbelt on for him, carefully doing so.

"Your hips are still aching, are they not, my love?"Erik whispered into Charles' ear playfully and the young prince's cheeks blossomed red again, not knowing how to respond because Erik's Royal guards were taking their own seats. Erik sat next to him while Cyclops took the pilot's seat and activated the controls to get the airship going. Charles heard the whir of machinery, the airship becoming pressurized and then the entire ship levitated as more turbo-engines came to life beneath the ship's thrusters. Cyclops pulled on the handle of the main controller with both hands, navigating it expertly. They began to ascend and with preternatural speed, the airship shot out of the hangar once the gates opened. Erik noticed something odd about Charles. He watched everything that Cyclops was doing, his eyes darting quickly as he concentrated on the Royal guard maneuvering the ship. Charles also noticed Erik's appraisal and looked over at his husband, giving him a small and shy smile.

"What was that about?"Erik asked him.

"I...I was just curious, my lord. I have read on how to navigate airships, but I have always wanted to see a practical application of what I had learned,"

"Are you telling me that you know how to navigate an airship just by reading about it?"Erik asked, incredulous. He looked over at Charles with fresh eyes. He was not as naive as he would seem after all. Charles turned his eyes away, mortified, but nodding in response. He spoke softly, turning to look up at him again.

"Does it displease you, my lord? That I know of such things?"

Erik sneered down at him."On the contrary, it intrigues me, quite."

The king called out for Cyclops to stabilize the ship, putting it on auto-pilot and then Erik removed his own seatbelt and went to Charles. He removed the prince's seatbelt as well and they both went to the pilot's seat, crowding around Cyclops. Erik pointed to some of dials upon the airship's console.

"What are these?"Erik asked, turning to look at Charles and prompting him to answer.

Charles looked up at him anxiously, but he answered the question immediately."The pathfinder and the navigation controls, my lord."

"And these?"

"The throttle mechanisms."

Erik pointed to all the buttons and Charles answered each query correctly. For once, It astounded Erik to have met an innocent that seems to know so much and yet he was so sheltered that he would not have known what to do with his knowledge. Truly, there's more to Charles Xavier than meets the eye. Erik gestured for Cyclops to get out of the pilot's seat. Cyclops looked hesitant because he had an idea on what the king had wanted to do. He was handing the controls over to the prince who had never even navigated a ship before! Since he was obedient to his liege, he got out of the pilot's chair anyway. Erik pointed to the seat, smiling at Charles insolently.

"Take us to Imaya, my prince!"

Charles looked stricken, unable to comprehend why his king would act so reckless as to dare him right in the middle of a flight to take control of the ship. King Erik himself was a curious man for even doing something so unthinkable and dangerous. He was unafraid of the ship crashing because he knew he could take control of it if Charles failed to navigate the ship, by simply using his magnetic power. Charles hesitated a moment longer, his arms trembling slightly while the ship was on auto-pilot. The other Royal Guards looked on anxiously, but remained silent, not wishing to raise their king's ire by making unnecessary comments. Charles slid into the pilot seat and put on the seatbelt himself. Erik took the empty seat next to him, with the indulgent and insolent smile still on his face as he watched Charles' every move. The young prince closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them, his expression grew alert; he moved over the controls with knowing hands, accurately determining which button or lever to push and then he gripped the main controller with the same precision that Cyclops had done so. Erik watched him along with the other men of the ship, awed by his amazing skill.

"An eidetic memory,"Erik suddenly said and Charles smiled at him with a trace of insolence, his eyebrow quirking up in a naughty way. This was the secret to Charles' skill, powerless as he is, but his immense intelligence made up for his inability to become a skin-changer like his kinsmen. The prince was finally gaining some confidence in himself by applying his knowledge. Erik let him navigate the ship, affectionately keeping his gaze only on him and when they entered Imaya's unstable air space, the ship began to wobble and judder slightly. Erik grimly advised Charles to bring the ship down. The young man navigated the ship as if he had always been doing it all his life and expertly brought it down. Cyclops could not help commending him on it.

"It is a privilege, your highness to have had the opportunity to experience your airship skills firsthand,"

Charles nodded towards him as one of royal blood should, graceful and stately in his manner. Erik ordered everyone to disembark from the ship and they all stood at the edge of the Imayan mountain pass, the howling winds soughing through the crags and uneven peaks of the mountain. They had arrived within a couple of hours. Their capes fluttered about in the wind along with their hair as they looked on at the passageway. Cyclops and Banshee knew all too well what a punishing trek it would be if they even go through Imaya's mountains to enter the Imayan kingdom. For ages, it had remained nestled deep within a savage valley, which took them months to get through. They had both hated it and could only wish that their liege would not dare to go through it all over again. Erik turned towards his men.

"We will go through this passageway, to get to that same small village we chanced upon before we invaded Imaya's castle. I would like to purchase a round flute and Banshee has informed me that they sell it within that village,"

The men stifled their groans and not wishing to protest their liege's decision, they followed suit. Banshee and Cyclops were both relieved that they did not have to go to Imaya's castle after all. Erik took Charles' wrist and led him ahead of the others. Charles looked about him with wonder-filled eyes, awed by the formation of the mountains and feeling quite happy to even be in their company. Overprotected all his life, going on such an adventure was a great delight to him indeed. He affectionately held the king's hand in his, glad that he had only known this man just yesterday and yet he had opened him up to so many rich experiences in such a short time. The walk took about 30 minutes. They arrived at the village that Banshee had directed them to. Some of the Imayan villagers immediately recognized them and had greeted them in their usual friendly manner. They were glad that King Erik actually brought down their tyrant king, who had burdened them with heavy taxes, amassing Imaya's wealth all for himself. With Erik as their king now, he had abolished the taxation laws and offered Imaya a chance to rebuild themselves as a nation. The Imayans bowed low before Erik, the villagers crowding before them and eying them curiously. Mostly it was the women who stared at them so, their eyes focused on King Erik and the handsome prince standing next to him.

"Your majesty, how may we be of service to you?"The village lord asked when he stepped out of the throng to speak to them.

"I wish to purchase an Imayan flute."Erik said simply and everyone about the village became flummoxed that the king would go all the way to Imaya just to ask for a flimsy little flute. The village lord uttered an uneasy laugh, gesturing towards the village square, where an old peddler traded in oddities and he was selling a great many of the round flutes as souvenirs for the tourists. The peddler was giving them a toothless smile, glad to even be in the presence of royalty. Charles stifled his laughter because the man bowed so low before them repeatedly that his gray beard flopped down upon the ground each time and made funny swishing noises. Erik noted that his prince found the man amusing and stopped the man with his overzealous bowing, asking to purchase a flute.

"M'lord! No need to pay me! Here! Here! Take it all! It is but a humble gift from your lowly servant!"The old man squeaked out with tearful joy upon his expression, holding the flutes up with trembling fingers. Erik serenely put a hand over the other man's hand, nodding graciously.

"Your generosity is touching, Sir, but I wish not to take from you such a precious Imayan heritage so heedlessly. I know you have worked hard to carve these flutes and you deserve payment for it. Banshee, bring my pack to me,"

Banshee came forward with the pack and Erik opened it up and paid the old man, more than the worth of his flutes in gold coins."I shall purchase all your flutes and take them with me to Genosha. I will give them as gifts to the guests who have attended my wedding. I have recently wed with this young man you see standing next to me,"

The old man looked so shocked to see so much gold coins that he looked as if he was about to keel over and die. He collapsed to his knees and underwent an apoplectic state of rapid genuflection, it would have been laughable, but the man was weeping with genuine feeling that aroused a sense of pathos from those looking upon him.

"Thank you M'lord! Thank you! May the gods bless your Royal household!"

Erik stopped him from his enthusiastic bowing once again, before a crowd who watched the entire matter with curious awe. The old man kept on weeping and went to kiss Erik's cape and then he went for the hem of Charles' overcoat and began to kiss it too, as a sign of reverence. It surprised Charles that the old man would do such a thing and he grew embarrassed by the old man's attention.

"For you, young prince, I give a very special gift,"The old man took out a chain necklace, hidden between the folds of his leather garb and held it out to Charles as he kept kneeling before them. It was also a round flute, made of a blood-red crystal.

"It's beautiful!"Charles exclaimed as he took the proffered gift, marveling at the craftsmanship. It was round, shaped like an Acanti Whale.

"I have not played it in a long while, your highness. I made it myself when I was a young man. Please take it as a wedding gift from me,"

Charles took his hand and gently squeezed it, looking down at the old man kindly."Thank you. Would you be so kind, Sir? I don't know how to play an Imayan flute. Won't you show me how?"

The old man nodded, wiping at his eyes and Charles handed the flute back to him to let him use the instrument. A haunting, melodious tune rose from the flute and everyone about them grew silent as they listened to it. The young prince was moved by his playing that he looked as if he was about to start crying too. When the old man finished, he handed the flute back to Charles and Charles held it tight in his hands, smiling down at the old man, his eyes moist. They stayed a while more, with Erik deep in discussion with the village lord and then they left to go down the path where the sand snow strikes most heavily, carrying only the Imayan flutes with them. Riptide distributed leather capes all about. These capes were especially made to prevent them from being flayed by the sharp sand snow. Erik did not take one because his cape was sufficient. He walked quietly next to Charles, just letting him drink in the wondrous sight of Imaya. The look of innocent wonder on his face was so endearing to gaze at. From behind them he could hear his men talking amongst themselves.

"Are you still harping on about those damned sand turtles even to my brother, Banshee?"Cyclops hissed angrily, trying to keep his voice down, but failing anyway.

"Brother, he mentioned they are most effective in-"Havok began but Cyclops cut him off.

"Don't tell me you believe in this dung heap he is foisting upon you?"

"Eh, well-"

"I hear the taste alone would deter a woman from coming within an inch of you if they smell it upon your breath!"Riptide said in a jeering manner that it had both Cyclops and Havok laughing. Banshee retorted, sounding stung.

"It does not smell that bad!"

"Tell us then, after you took it did you ever get a lady friend to bed with you?"Cyclops asked mockingly and then they all burst out laughing when Banshee remained gloomily silent. Erik himself was chuffing laughter behind his palm causing Charles to look over at him curiously. Charles' attention suddenly shifted to the tiny white motes that fell softly over them and the landscape. The moment of joviality fell from all the men except for Charles, who did not immediately comprehend what had them grim-faced. Riptide drew close and held out a cape for Charles.

"Your highness. You need to put this on, immediately!"

"No need of that, it's coming!"Erik cried out tersely and drew Charles into his arms, wrapping his long cape over them both just in time. Erik's cape was made of a special material capable of withstanding the torrential sand snow, which suddenly came out of nowhere and lashed over them. Cyclops and the rest hid themselves behind their capes made of leather hides. They hunkered down due to the strength of the wind and positioned themselves between the rock formations and hid underneath the branches of the trees about them. Erik gave Charles as much cover as he possibly could, even as his arm was pelted by small, stinging tear-shaped pellets of sand snow when he guided Charles towards an overhang of rocks. Charles clung to him, pressing his face into Erik's chest as they waited out the first cascade. The odd climate would either come in short repeated bursts or last for less than 10 minutes, which would have been bad news for them. Worst still, if it lasted overnight. From somewhere, one of Erik's men tried to use the flutes, making discordant whistling sounds from it.

"This useless bauble is not working at all!"Banshee cried out in indignation.

Erik snorted at that and looked down at Charles, from what faint light streamed through the gaps of his cape."Well, it seems we are proven wrong after all and these flutes cannot stop the tears of the Acanti from shredding us to pieces!"

Charles shook his head slowly."He was not playing music upon it, my lord. Only by imitating the haunting cry of an Acanti can the mourning of the Acanti ghost be stopped,"

"If you happen to be an expert flute player, Charles then by all means, play at your heart's content and calm this horrid storm!"

Charles smiled up at him softly and then he took out the Imayan flute that the old man had given him. He brought the flute to his lips and played music upon it, exactly as the old man had done, leaning against Erik's body and just like that, the sand snow immediately stopped, the melodious tune carrying well over the mountainside, seeming to reverberate all around. It was a strange phenomenon to behold. The howling wind grew still and the sand snow all but disappeared. Charles kept on playing upon the flute even as Erik dropped his cape and the light of day streamed down at them from between the thorny branches of the trees. Erik looked down at Charles, mesmerized by the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen looking up at him and when Charles had finished playing, Erik drew him into his arms and embraced him, his heart beating fast within his chest. He ran a hand over the back of Charles' head, pressing the other's face against his neck.

"My beauty!"Erik whispered into his ear and kissed him softly, making Charles' face grow flushed again, his own heart beating in time to Erik's quickening heart.

Erik decided that they should camp out at the borders of Imaya, wanting Charles to have a chance to explore the countryside further. Erik's men had prepared for the trip and had set up tents before a blazing fire that Cyclops had made using his powers. Controlling his visor, he released beams on to a pile of wood and they had a fire going quickly enough. Banshee hunted for a couple of sand hens that they could feast upon. He had stunned the creatures using his sonic screams. Havok and Riptide prepared electronic torches for their lighting. Erik and Charles sat upon the large boulders watching Erik's men work and having a discussion about Imaya's oddities.

"Only in Imaya will you see grass sprouting from the sand-soil, green and lush; only here shall you see trees grow without leaves. Imagine that in all its harshness, there are still wonders about this land that man has sought to conquer,"Erik said as he played with a piece of grass between his fingers. He looked up at Charles and smiled at him wistfully."It is regretful that I cannot take you to see the calm waters of Imaya's sea port, with its odd red sand. I have never seen the likes of it before! On the day that we had conquered the Imayan kingdom, we took to the sea port and it was dead calm, with no wind whatsoever-"

Erik did not want Charles to experience such a rough and tiring journey which would take weeks, but perhaps, he would take him some other time, when he had lesser official duties to attend to. They were both looking out at the setting sun, the arrival of dusk darkening everything about them.

"You have missed out on a marvel, my lord. Those sands are very special. They are called the singing sands because they are made in such a way that when the wind blows, they make a beautiful, whistling music. It was mentioned in the tomes I have read that this may very well be why the lone Acanti was drawn to Imaya,"

"Ah, you are a wonder my prince, for knowing such things! One day, I shall take you to Imaya's seaport and we shall listen for the singing sands then!"

"I would like that very much, my king!"Charles said brightly and sat close to him. Erik placed an arm about his shoulder and hugged him close, contentedly rubbing his fingers over Charles' shoulder.

"Would you like to see one other wonder?"Erik whispered to him in a husky voice and Charles tilted his head to the side, smiling questioningly. Erik put a finger to his lips, winking at him and then he informed his guards that he needed to retrieve something from the ship, tugging at Charles' arm as he marched up the walkway. He climbed inside with the young prince and moments later, he and Charles burst out of the lower hatch, riding on an air-cycle, with the king laughing gleefully and speeding away from them.

"Your Majesty, STOP!"Cyclops cried out in dismay, but Erik kept going until both he and Charles were a great distance from the camp, riding out into the desert, unprotected. Cyclops sprang into action and ran up the passage of the airship. He was in for another shock. The king had removed the ignition key that would have allowed the ship to fly. He had meant to moor them in place, unable to give chase so that he and the prince could run off like a couple of headstrong brats, as if they were stealing their parents' vehicle for a night of fun. Cyclops went down from the airship and kicked at the sand in disgust, his hands balled into fists. Banshee and the others could only shrug noncommittally, awkwardly silent for a moment.

"Let the king and the prince have their fun. What could happen to them out there?"Havok said as he settled before the fire and Cyclops turned on him angrily.

"Do you not understand what dangers may lurk out there? We will be in so much trouble with the Royal court if they found out about this!"

"None of us here will say anything, will we? Let them be, Cyclops and undo the shard of stone you have stuck up your arse!"Banshee said, rolling his eyes at him as he cooked their meal. Cyclops can be so uptight over maintaining order that he failed to see the obvious, was the thought running through his head. Their king was just too powerful to be taken on so easily. Why, one would think they have the easiest job in the world, protecting their king. Cyclops ran his hands in frustration through his hair while Riptide and the rest looked on at him with humor.

"Any of you fellows want some stew? It's almost ready!"Banshee announced with a grin. Both Havok and Riptide rushed to his side to have their steaming bowlful of sand hen stew, but Cyclops kept on glumly regarding them, his chin shoved into one hand while he had one elbow propped upon his knee.

Charles sighed happily, the side of his head pressed to Erik's warm back; arms wrapped about the other's long and lean waist. The wind whipped their hair about as Erik drove on at breakneck speed, maneuvering over rock formations and grinning maniacally. One would almost find the grin shark-like and disturbing, but Charles thought his husband looked extremely attractive even as he smiled over his shoulder at him in this manner. Both of them are wearing protective visors to prevent the wind from stinging their eyes.

"Hold on tight, Charles! I'm going for a loop!"Erik hollered out at him and Charles giggled against his back, feeling strangely alive and vital for the first time in his life. Charles screamed out delightedly when Erik rashly turned the air-cycle upside down, their heads grazing the tall sand grass as Erik zoomed past an arching formation of rock, the wind ringing through his ears as Erik righted the vehicle again. They finally came to a halt when Erik was satisfied they were some distance away from his Royal guards. He and Charles sat upon a sloping rock formation and stared up at the stars. It was blissfully quiet in that place, with just the two of them and the light of the moon illuminated the area about them in a milky, blue light. Charles was lying on his back to gaze up at the stars while Erik leaned on his arms, tilting his head back to do much of the same.

"Do you think, my lord that the Acanti are out there amongst the stars, right at this moment?"

"Perhaps they are,"

"I have always wanted to see one up close. I've only read about them in the history books and I have only seen drawings of these beautiful creatures,"

"Why are you so interested in them?"

Charles had crossed his arms behind his back, shutting one eye and grinning in a lopsided way, biting at his lower lip all at the same time, rueful that his strange ways had piqued the king's interest. His chest heaved slightly as he remained lying down upon his back.

"I have read that they could heal the broken pieces within a man. They could cure any hurt, any malady of the body and of the mind...that it is also such a wonder to behold that one would weep at it. People from long ago had painted this phenomenon upon their walls and they once worshiped the Acanti...but the passing of time had erased this miracle from the minds of their descendants and reduced it to nothing but myth,"

"So, you believe in such a thing?"

Charles let out a soft breath, his eyes seeming to glimmer under the light of the moon."I do, my lord."

Erik chuckled down at him, looking amused."I have seen them,"

Charles' eyes grew wide at that and he sat up straight. He looked over at Erik in stunned silence, then he edged closer to where Erik sat, his expression urgent.

"How, my lord? How did you see them?"

"I was in a spaceship, bound for an off-planet assembly, ten years ago. The ship I had embarked upon took us past a cluster of shattered stars and a herd of Acanti were surrounding it,"

The young prince's hands seem to shake with excitement at hearing this, eyes bright and lips forming a dazzling smile."Please, my lord! Could you tell me what they were like?"

"Perhaps its like how they are described it in the picture books. They have red, leathery hides, calm green eyes and they are shaped like a whale...but quite vast. Gargantuan beings that they are. They are highly intelligent too, it seems, they had no fear of our vessel when it passed them by and they did not move about like a stupid beast. You can see it in their eyes...the intelligence and the strangely calm self-possession,"

Erik suddenly smiled down at him with a trace of sadness."I wish I could take you out there...to travel amongst a sea of stars and gaze at the Acanti, but it is unfortunate that we cannot take my spaceships off the planet without an official agenda. Even a king such as myself have no such jurisdiction to take a space vessel for my personal use,"

This did not seem to deter Charles, who was overjoyed to learn that the Acanti still roam the stars, his eyes growing moist with feeling."I am only glad to know that they still live and that you have seen them, my lord. That makes me very happy indeed,"

"Well if we ever have any off-planet assembly that occurs in this lifetime, I promise that I shall take you with me,"Erik said magnanimously, tipping him a wink and Charles suddenly threw his arms around him and kissed him passionately, momentarily surprising him. His expression grew tender and then he reached out and held Charles in his embrace. Such a sweet young man! They stayed a while longer, with Erik talking about his Royal household to Charles, noting the people that he would see within the halls of his castle and then they eventually went back into camp.

King Erik briskly stomped down the halls of his castle, his expression stormy, lips drawn down in an angry frown as his advisers and court officials trailed after him, fawning and simpering over him, far worse than his concubines. He had sent Charles back into their Wedding Chamber, escorted by his Royal guard, Cyclops. He was headed for the chancery of the Grand chancellor, Sebastian Shaw. He threw open the man's doors and the fool looked up at him with a servile smile readily plastered to his face. He was a thin-haired sycophant with an upturned nose and a haughty expression permanently stamped upon his countenance. He wore a black, high collared cassock and an overcoat made of luxurious black fur. A dark red scarf hung about his shoulders, held up by diamond pins.

"Your Majesty, thank goodness you are alive and well! We have been searching high and low for you-"

"Shut your mouth, you pompous fool! How dare you to send my Imperial army out in my streets to terrorize my people!"Erik hollered out at him, rudely cutting him off. When Erik and Charles had left, aided only by four Royal Guards and leaving instructions for Jean Grey alone, Shaw must have sniffed out that he was gone and had taken it upon himself to send the Imperial Army to search for him within Genosha, sending the soldiers crashing through the houses and disrupting the tranquility of the people.

Shaw looked regretful and offered up a hasty excuse."B-But my liege, you were missing for quite some time that we had to look for your whereabouts. We all initially assumed you were in the Wedding Chamber, where you were supposed to stay for three days and three nights as part of the ancient rites to-"

"You dare to reprimand me in my own kingdom, Shaw?"Erik shouted at him and the man shook in his seat, eyes watery with fear. The papers in his hands fluttering in his nervousness.

"No, your Majesty! Of course not! I was only concerned for your safety!"

"Had you taken the time to speak to my head adviser, Jean Grey, you would have known that I had left for Imaya! You and your stupid, haughty ways! Are you still hung over the fact that I chose her as my adviser and not you? Will you still not speak to her because you think it beneath yourself to speak to a woman?"Erik asked him in a truculent and weary voice. Sometimes he felt like he was officiating over fools with childish tantrums, holding grudges over any imagined faults.

Shaw's eyes grew wide and indignant."My lord, it is her fault! She will not speak to me at all! She will not inform me of matters that I should know about!"

"She did not inform you because it is _not_ a matter you should know about! My business is my own when it comes to my husband, Shaw! I will do whatever the hell I want in my own kingdom! You are never to do this again, is that understood?"

"B-But my...my liege I was just-"Shaw stuttered, his face going gray, perhaps fearing that King Erik would have him beheaded if he so chose to have it accomplished.

Erik cut him off abruptly."Just a yes or a no, you imbecile! That is all I ask of you!"

Shaw's shoulders sagged, head hung low in defeat."Yes, your Majesty."

Erik gave him one last withering glare and turned around. The door was still wide open and Erik's retinue waited for him outside, hearing the king berating the Grand chancellor and seeing the man's utter humiliation. They gave Shaw a haughty stare, snubbing their noses at him and headed off to follow close to King Erik's heels. When they had left, Shaw stood up and slammed the door close, fuming at being disgraced like a common vassal.

"You fools! You will all get what's coming to you!"Shaw muttered under his breath and insolently sat upon his chair, his face a mask of rage. His trembling fists were clenching and unclenching tightly, leaving deep welts upon his own palms. How he hated the king! He was so like his father, but far too spirited and headstrong to be controlled. Even King Jakob himself was a hard man to get around with. Both men are pillars of goodwill and justice, with the son being a greater simpleton than his father. He smiled smugly to himself, envisioning his nefarious ideas coming to fruition. A message was suddenly sent to him via the screen of his communications console. He pressed the button to accept the message.

"Yes?"He droned out in an annoyed voice.

"Your grace, we have found it,"A man's voice rasped out conspiratorially from the console and Shaw's face formed a leering grin at the news. His plans were falling slowly into place. The search for the king, was in fact, a ruse so that Shaw might find the means to send his trusted thugs within the king's Imperial army to search for this precious item he had long been searching for. It would prove mightily useful in the downfall of the king. He dismissed his goon and began to titter to himself wickedly.

Erik entered the Wedding Chamber, finally free of his fawning retinue. He ran a fatigued hand over his face and then he brought his hand down to look about him. He saw Charles wearing a gray satin robe this time, sitting upon the bed, golden anklets clinking and glinting faintly. Charles had already bathed and his skin glowed under the light of the perfumed lamps. His dark brown hair tumbled carelessly over his forehead and his eyes are like blue incandescent heat gazing out at him. Erik's troubles seem to melt away at the sight of him. He went to his husband and Charles immediately got up from the bed and embraced him, gently smoothing the back of his neck.

"You look so troubled, my lord. What can I do to ease your distress?"Charles whispered softly against his cheek. Erik sighed and nuzzled his face into Charles' fragrant hair, closing his eyes and savoring the prince's scent, his arms wrapped about the other's waist.

"Being with you is enough, my sweet prince."Erik responded in a gentle voice and Charles pulled away from his embrace, leading him by the hand towards the bed. Charles guided him to sit and then positioning himself to Erik's side, he began to undress him slowly. Erik leaned back on his arms and watched Charles undo the catches and the buttons of his garment, eventually removing his clothing. To his astonishment, it was the young man who had worked over him possessively this time, hands running with sensuous slowness over his body, licking and kissing at his throat. He leered out at his young husband knowingly.

"Not so innocent anymore, are we?"

Charles giggled in response and kissed his lips hungrily to shut him up, his fingers circling Erik's nipples and Erik moaned into the kiss as the other caressed and kissed him into senselessness. He lost control of himself once more and he shoved Charles on to his back so that he could straddle him. Charles' skin burned beneath the fabric of his clothing and Erik could feel the heat rising from him as he restlessly ran his hands over his body. His hand strayed down Charles' ample behind and he squeezed hard at it. Charles giggled quietly; an endearing smile lighting up his face that Erik felt this wrenching, bittersweet pain in his chest, just looking down at him. Charles' hand extended between the pillows and he drew out the phial of blue oil, smiling up at him in an innocent yet lewd manner all at the same time. Erik took it from him, hurriedly pouring the oil upon his palm and then he roughly pounced upon his prince in his excitement, causing the other to utter a breathy cry of lust. The lovemaking was desperate and frenetic as always, with Erik trying out different positions with Charles to explore his body and to see what else he could do to send the other into a state of helpless arousal. He had Charles sitting on his lap this time as he bucked up, letting the other ride his sex. Both of their skins are slick with sweat, burning feverishly against each and Charles could barely hold on to him as he rocked his hips upward with violent insistence. Charles' head was thrown back in his sexual abandon, mouth hanging open as he grew so lost in the lust of it all. Erik heard Charles utter his name softly in a barely audibly whisper, gasping and moaning as his head lolled about.

"What did you say?"Erik stopped pounding up into him, gasping raggedly himself, his eyes heavy-lidded with his own arousal.

"My lord?"Charles breathed out, his chest heaving with effort, his backside so full and sensitive and wanting Erik to continue with the act of ravaging him. His face was so red that it blossomed right down to his feverish and sweaty neck. His eyes looked drugged, blank with lust, but seeming to gain his senses as his lord questioned him.

"You said something,"

"I am sorry, my lord. I could not help myself. I did say your name,"Charles said softly, looking chastised that he had been so disrespectful. He looked away, wondering if he had ruined this delicious moment between them by being so careless and yet Erik kept on bucking his hips upwards after a moment of silence, subjecting Charles' backside to a thrilling sensation once more, making him bite down on his lips hard.

"Say it again, call out my name!"Erik said in a strained voice and Charles moaned out an incomprehensible cry of pleasure as Erik rammed up into him harder and faster. He was holding on to Erik with one hand, his other hand snarling up into his tumbling hair. His face looked agonized, as if he could not stand the sensation he was being subjected to.

"Erik!"Charles moaned out loud, eyes shut tight as they both delved for it, their bodies frantically bucking and rocking against each other. Erik had thrown his own head back as he savored every hard thrust into Charles' tight and hot little hole, feeling as if he would go insane if he did not release into him. Charles cried his name over and over, the cries juddering and quickening along with each of his jabs until he made Charles wail out in ecstasy, the other growing still for a moment as a cataclysmic orgasm overtook him. He released a final grunt as he thrusted in hard, then he also came. Charles collapsed into his arms, heart hammering within his own chest and feeling the mad pulsing of Erik's heart next to his, the blood rush and the heat coursing through their veins as they were reduced to breathless gasps, holding on to each other. If truth be told, Erik had taken countless women and men to bed and the act of sex was no different from how it was with Charles and yet the only difference, he supposed, was that Charles was someone special to him. There was something about him that Erik found so elusive that he wanted to reach for it and hold it in his hands. He wondered perhaps if the mysterious feeling he felt for him is love.

_**Rev-EBH** _


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, I've been sick so I was not able to work on my fics. Posting this one for now. I did the best I could with it and I could only hope that my offering is acceptable. If you are not into it, there is no need to read. Thanks for your time and as always, I will keep effusively thanking the people who enjoy and follow my work.

 

_There is only emptiness here-_

This was the thought that came to Charles' mind when he woke up and King Erik was no longer lying next to him in bed. The three days and three nights of bliss had come to an end. Charles was lying on his stomach, naked, but for the silken sheet that the king had pulled over him to cover up his nakedness as he slept. Charles had one arm thrown up over his head while the other was folded close to his side. He exhaled a weary breath and sat back on his haunches. This was his final stay here in the wedding chamber. He was made aware that he and the king will sleep in separate bedrooms from now on. While the king presided over his duties, Charles would spend his time with an instructor, to hone his social graces and intellectual skills. Once his lessons are done, he was to join the concubines in Erik's harem to associate with them. The only time that he would ever get to see the king is when he requires Charles' presence. Being prince consort, Charles has the sole privilege to be in Erik's company when they attend social gatherings outside the kingdom, but that would be all.

He got up from the bed, picking up the light blue robe he had worn last night. He slipped on the robe and he could not help it when another sigh escaped him. His sad gaze fell upon Erik's pillow and he slowly reached out for it and brought it up, pressing it to his face. He suddenly felt a wrenching pain in his chest, overwhelmed by a sense of loss. Soft sobs escaped him as he cried quietly into the pillow. Erik's warm smell was still upon it and he inhaled it deeply, somehow consoled that for such a short time, the king was his alone; that the king woke up next to him and held him in his arms. He hugged the pillow tightly to himself, whispering the king's name. He did his best to get himself under control, drawing in a hitching breath. Only three days ago, he had been apprehensive about marrying such an arrogant and terrifying king. Erik had proven him wrong when he showed him what manner of a man he truly is. That he was kind and gentle; passionate and warm. That he was so many things that Charles had never thought possible and he had fallen so helplessly in love with him. On their last night, Erik had been especially tender with him, kissing him so many times that he was left so breathless and lightheaded yet still craving for more. He recalled how the king had made love to him, entering him with an insistent passion, rocking his hips into him slowly and deeply, savoring each thrust. Charles felt mortified when he burst into tears after Erik brought him into climax. It had felt so good, when the spasms within his belly lasted longer than usual, suspending him into a state of pure ecstasy. He had cried because he knew he will never have this feeling again, to be loved by his king.

He thought that perhaps now that the king had taken his fill, sating himself on his body, he will have tired of him due to the way he took him last night. As wonderful as the king is, he was also a mercurial individual; quick to reckless passion in an instant then becoming a man governed by his cool self-possession at the next. It has been mentioned to him that the king was much the same when it comes to the affairs of the bed. That he easily loses interest. Charles tightened his hold on Erik's pillow, pressing his cheek to it. With a heavy heart, he tapped the call button that would alert the servants to come into the room. He had wanted to stay awhile longer, to reminisce the times he had spent with Erik in this room, but it hurt too much to think of him. He heard the hushed footsteps of the chambermaids as they climbed up the steps and then they entered the room, curtsying before him

"Your highness," The five chambermaids all said in unison.

Charles had always been shy towards any Royal staff, even when he had been residing in the forbidden valley. He preferred to do things by himself, going as far as to wash his own clothing back then. He had no choice but to call the chambermaids forward so that he may go on with his day.

"My lord has given me instructions last night; that I am to call upon you and advise one of you to take me to my new bedroom."

One of the maids spoke and bowed low before him."Your highness. If you would accept my services, I shall escort you to your room. The rest of them will tidy up the wedding chamber,"

"Thank you."Charles said softly. He turned to go towards the door, with the maids springing into action and beginning the task of rearranging the room, putting aside the bedsheets and cleaning the carpet with their implements.

"Prince Charles, if you please! The...The pillow?"Another maid asked. Charles stopped in his tracks and looked over to the maid who spoke to him. He was still hugging Erik's pillow to himself and he grasped it even tighter when the maid held her hand out to try to retrieve it from him.

"I am taking this with me. I am sure the king will not mind if I do so," Charles said solemnly and then he opened the door and stepped out without another word. The maid who offered to take him into his new room followed him downstairs. She walked ahead of him once they were out in the garden, navigating the way from one large hall to the next, climbing up long, sweeping stairways and going through dimly-lit passages until they arrived at his room. She opened the door for him and Charles looked about him with wide-eyed awe. This was a far cry from his bedchamber back in Shi'ar. The maid smiled at him kindly, noting his admiration of his new surroundings. He kept on hugging the pillow as he walked about to survey the elegant decoration of the spacious room. The cream-gold ceiling rose high, with frosted glass inlay in the design and the walls were of the same color. Beneath their feet was a dark-red carpet, plush and smelling new, as if it was freshly laid out for him. The bed was round and canopied and he gasped out when the maid threw open the reddish brown velvet drapes so that he may have a glorious view of the king's city.

"It's beautiful!"Charles exclaimed, smiling, as he excitedly bounded over to the window and leaned his head on to the glass. He looked over to the maid and his endearing smile won her over.

"What is your name, miss?"

The maid's eyes widened at the question, and then she lifted one hand to gesture at herself."My name, your highness?"

"Yes, please. I wish to know how to address you," Charles said in a low voice. He may be timid when being attended on by numerous servants, but if given an opportunity to speak with a lone staff member, Charles would not hesitate to befriend one of them. She looked somewhat surprised that someone of such royal standing would even care to know a mere chambermaid's name. She was both pleased and troubled by it, unsure of how to react to the prince's query. She finally collected herself and bowed low before him.

"Moira, your highness. My name is Moira."

Charles' smile grew wide and he giggled delightedly."That was not so hard, wasn't it? I thought for a moment you would tell me that you are not allowed to even mention your name,"

"Forgive me, your highness. It is because no one from the royal household or the nobility ever cared to ask me my name,"Moira murmured, eyes downcast.

Charles reached out to hold her hand in his, surprising her even further."Your name matters, Moira. If the nobility were stripped of their pomp and their titles, we would all just be the same; we are all living beings, each of us given our own names so that we may be addressed by it ."

Moira's brown eyes glistened with feeling, admiring the young prince's eloquence and the sincere way in which he had said these words. She smiled back, but felt conscious of his hand holding her own rough hand that she timidly drew away. She looked about the room, avoiding his mesmerizing blue eyes because it made her feel as if she would swoon with happiness. The prince was a charming young man, quite different from the intimidating king, who can frighten the staff with just one dark look. Charles noticed something about her as he gazed at her intently.

"Are you a human like me, Moira? Do you have no powers?"

"Yes Prince Charles. I am a human servant. But King Erik is a benevolent ruler and treats all his subjects equally. Within Genosha's walls, both humans and superhumans live together in peace."

"It is good to know that I am married to a just and good king."Charles said with such tenderness upon his expression that Moira found herself becoming quite taken with him once more. She roused herself because she did not want to appear to be shirking her chores.

"Your highness, I have taken too much of your time and must attend to my other duties. I shall send for your bath attendant. Please excuse me if I must take leave of you,"Moira said hastily, bowing low. Charles smiled and nodded in understanding.

"Of course. It was a pleasure knowing you, Moira,"

"The pleasure is mine, your highness,"Moira curtsied before him and then she turned to leave, giving him one last smile over her shoulder as she stepped outside and closed the door quietly behind her.

Charles breathed out through his lips and walked about the room, exploring. He laid Erik's pillow upon the bed, intending to hug it to himself when he sleeps tonight. When he opened the large walk-in closet, he found that his own belongings had been brought in, along with wedding presents that had been laid out upon the top shelf of a bureau. He opened his hope chest and took out his favorite winter robe, made of dark blue crushed velvet and encrusted with white and blue jewels. Shi'ar has a warmer climate than Genosha and Charles had noticed that without the heating vents in Erik's castle, it could be quite cold in the evenings. The robe would suit him well within the castle. It was a gift from Princess Emma, originating from her winter kingdom before she was betrothed to his sister, Queen Raven. As thoughts of them came to him, he suddenly came to wonder if Raven and Emma were still in Erik's kingdom. Erik had told him that after the ceremony, they would be staying along with the other wedding guests and reside temporarily in the summer castle, an extension of the main castle where he and Erik took their wedding vows. The wedding altar where he was wed opened out to a wondrous garden and he recalled there was a passage there that led out to the summer castle. Perhaps he could visit them before they left for Shi'ar. A knock upon his door startled him from his thoughts and he called out for the person behind the door to come in. It was the same girl that had attended on him when he used the bathing chambers. She was of a small stature, with creamy skin and small features. Her brown hair was braided and tied in a simple plait behind her. She wore a dark brown apron dress over a gray dress with long, tight sleeves. She had mentioned that her name was Shadowcat.

"Your highness, I am here to assist you with your bath," She bowed low before him and waited patiently for his response. He noticed that she had carried a set of clothing for him and was perhaps intending to leave it in the Dressing chamber.

"Very well, but I would like to wear my own clothing,"

"If that is what you wish for, Sire!"

He nodded and followed her to the bathing chamber, carrying his own items with him and letting her carry his clothes. He immediately rounded on her before she could say anything else once they were at the passageway. He was blushing and looking mortified, speaking in a rushed manner."Please let me bathe by myself. I do not wish for you to attempt undressing me again!"

Shadowcat stifled a giggle, blushing as well in an effort to control her own laughter. For some reason, she felt at ease with him and knew that he would not take offense in her reaction. "Beggin' your pardon, my lord! We have always been used to bathing the nobility that it has been ingrained in me to undress the lords and ladies who I must attend upon,"

"I find it...embarrassing, really."

Shadowcat's brow furrowed at this."In your country, do the maids not bathe their masters and mistresses, Sire?"

"Yes, we do have bathing attendants, but I have lived all my life, bathing by myself in Shi'ar's country castle in the forbidden valley. The servants that I did have only maintained the housekeeping and cooked my meals,"

"You are most unusual, your highness."Shadowcat said, her eyes narrowed, curious over the odd ways of the prince. Charles said nothing more, not knowing what to say to what she had said and entered the bathing chamber, alone. It was quite vast, the ceilings domed, with daylight streaming in from the frosted and mullioned windows, towering right up to the very ceilings. A large bathing pool was prepared for his use and this time, he carried his own bathing articles. When he was finished, he put on the bathrobe that Shadowcat provided. He found her waiting in the passageway, sitting upon one of the benches. For a moment, he was not sure of what he was seeing. She appeared to have been beheaded, but this was not the case, for her head had disappeared into the wall, yet there was no blood. Instead, there was an insubstantial blur where her neck met the wall. She was also tapping her heels upon the floor in a playful manner, her arms crossed in front of herself. She sat back up when she sensed his presence. Charles marveled at her power and it showed upon his expression.

"Oh! Your highness! Did I frighten you?"Shadowcat said, flustered by his sudden arrival.

"Not at all. It appears you have the power of Intangibility. It is an amazing gift,"

"I fear it is only but a trick, my lord. It has no actual use other than to allow me to pass through objects. Perhaps its only other use is to allow me to escape alone,"Shadowcat said with a trace of bitterness in her voice, her eyes becoming haunted by a memory. Charles did not prod her further, sensing that it was a delicate subject for her and instead indicated that they should both leave. He had put on his clothes while in his bedchamber, rather than to enter the dressing chamber and have numerous maids fussing over him.

His first order of the day was a meeting with Jean Grey, who would be discussing his schedule and informing him on what activities would be afforded to him until King Erik required his presence. Shadowcat escorted him to Jean Grey's chancery, which was also King Erik's office, promptly curtsying and then she left. Charles' heart was doing somersaults within his chest, hoping to have a glimpse of Erik, but when he was allowed entry, he realized with mild disappointment that Jean Grey was the only one sitting behind a large desk, which was loaded with official documents, missives and scrolls. Jean Grey immediately stood up and bowed low before him.

"Your highness. Finally, we meet. My name is Jean Grey, King Erik's adviser and please, do address me as Lady Grey. I hold no regard for my title,"

Charles found her self-deprecation appealing and he immediately took a liking to her. Aside from being attractive, she was graceful in manner and quite reserved. He nodded in acknowledgement and then she gestured that they should both sit down.

"King Erik and I have discussed your role in the kingdom, Prince Charles, and the first thing he advised me to do was to assign an instructor to help you with your deportment and social etiquette. I would have assigned myself to the task; however, I handle all of the king's stately affairs to ensure that anything that comes in from the chancellor's offices will be within reason. It is quite a daunting task as it is so I cannot vacate this role. I have found a suitable instructor for you and you will be meeting him after you have your breakfast with Queen Raven and Princess Emma,"

"I shall be seeing my sister?"Charles said and he could not prevent himself from getting immensely excited at the prospect. He had missed his sister and even back then in Shi'ar, he seldom saw her due to her queenly duties being the priority.

"Why yes, your highness. You will be meeting with all of your wedding guests soon enough. As of this moment, the king is dining with them, discussing politics and protocols that will ensure the success of his campaign to unite all kingdoms and all realms,"

Charles felt that painful slam against his chest once more at hearing this news. Erik would be there? Would this give him the opportunity to see him sooner than expected? He comported himself because Lady Grey began to bring up the topic of his schedule. Once they were done, Lady Grey herself offered to guide him to the summer palace. He wanted to tell her that he knew the way, but out of the need to be polite, he allowed her to lead the way. With each step, Charles grew apprehensive and conscious of his appearance, running his fingers through his hair and hoping that King Erik would notice him. He had this deep-seated fear that the king would disregard him and he felt as if his heart would break if it did happen. He needn't have worried.

The moment he entered the dining hall of the summer castle, Erik's eyes immediately met his own and the other smiled at him with his usual arrogance, eyes roving all over him appreciatively. He gestured for Charles to come towards him. He was surrounded by stately looking men, kings and nobles from other kingdoms and as he came closer, the king was already excusing himself from their presence. Erik met him half-way and Charles hoped that what he was seeing upon the king's expression was genuine. The king looked excited to see him, reaching for his wrist gently.

"This was not the outfit I asked the servants to prepare for you," King Erik teased him, quirking an eyebrow up and Charles' face reddened under his gaze.

"Forgive me, my lord. I wanted to wear this robe for it is quite comfortable,"

The king's smile grew mildly insolent and then he leaned in close and whispered in his ear."I would rather see you out of that robe, my prince,"

Charles' flush deepened and he turned his uneasy eyes away from the king, mortified by what was said to him, but equally mortified by his own behavior. King Erik placed an arm about him and led him towards the main dining table. There are other guests still eating around the long tables in the dining hall and Charles caught sight of his sister and Princess Emma. He had wanted to raise his hand to wave towards them, but he did not want to seem overzealous. He walked on, maintaining his composure. King Erik had him sit next to him and called for the maids to bring in food for the prince. The servants hastily complied and plates and bowls of enticing viands were laid out before him. Charles was famished and attacked his meal with gusto, while the king watched him eat. Charles turned to face him.

"Are you not hungry, my lord? Won't you dine with me?"

Erik shook his head slowly, a languid smile on his lips."I have already eaten. I just wanted to watch you eat,"

"I see," Charles continued to eat, unaware that even when surrounded by his subjects and noble guests, the king's indecency does not prevent him from doing what he wanted to do to his young prince. He reached for Charles' leg, running his hand over the jeweled fabric and causing the other to stop eating. Charles lifted his eyes to the king, puzzled.

"This robe's design...I have seen nothing like it before. It is quite well-made," Erik said in a throaty voice, eyes full of his dark intent. Then, his hand slowly trailed upwards, stroking and squeezing gently at Charles' thigh.

"M-My lord?"

Erik's hand slid between the gap of the robe to feel for Charles' trousers underneath, touching his sex that Charles nearly yelped out in surprise. The king's hands explored further, stroking and squeezing at his sensitive sex, arousing this gasping state in him.

"P-Please, my lord," Charles moaned softly, looking about anxiously and feeling extremely mortified at being touched like this. He knew his face was a deep red as he struggled to gain control of himself. Erik leaned over him, watching his expression.

"Please what, my prince? Are you refusing me?"

"N-No...ahhh...No, my lord!"Charles whispered tightly, gasping softly because he couldn't stop the erection that rose inside his pants as he was fondled restlessly by his king.

Erik was grinning down at him knowingly, enjoying the sight of him as he struggled against his own arousal, face contorted and flushed. The king voiced out an indignant query.

"You are saying 'no' to me?"

"I...I...I didn't mean to, Sire!"Charles said in a stuttering, strangled voice when Erik throttled down hard at his sex, making him wince.

"I must punish you for your insolence, young prince!"Erik said, gloating. A look of confused horror crossed the prince's expression. He grabbed Charles' arm while the guests kept on eating, guiding him to stand. Charles was unaware that Queen Raven and Princess Emma had seen him; they saw what the king was doing to him, even as the other guests ate on, oblivious to what had just transpired. Emma leaned in close to Queen Raven's side, whispering softly into her ear as they both glared darkly at the king, leading Charles out of the door.

"It appears the king has grown quite fond of your lovely brother, my queen,"

"Yes. my unfortunate brother," Raven sighed, looking on with distaste at the way the king was touching her sweet and innocent brother. She stabbed her cutlery into the toast that she had been eating, suddenly losing her appetite. Emma sensed her change of mood and gently kissed her cheek.

"As you yourself have said, my love. It is all about the politics involved,"

"But my brother-"

"-has agreed to enter into this marriage. He understood what he was getting into when he conceded to it," Emma said soothingly. Emma circled her fingers softly upon Queen Raven's bare arm and the other met her gaze with her fierce yellow eyes.

"Your brother's sacrifice will prove useful to us one day. Just think of that thought to get you through this farcical union," Emma whispered, kissing her cheek softly and Raven reached out to hold her hand in her own. They ate on as if nothing untoward happened, talking gaily with the other guests.

King Erik took Charles into one of the numerous waiting rooms specifically intended for women. He locked the door behind him and proceeded to beleaguer his husband thoroughly upon a chaise lounge. Removing his pants, undergarment and his soft shoes; parting his robe and dress shirt, but leaving these on him. He kissed and suckled upon the prince's neck, eating up his lips in a gnashing kiss, holding him in his arms. He could taste what Charles had eaten for his breakfast as he touched tongues with him. Charles could do nothing but let the king touch him and kiss him. Closing his eyes, he allowed the other to take possession of him. Tears welled his eyes as he endured this delicious sensation of being desired by his king and he wanted this feeling to last. _The king still wanted him!_ He gently touched the back of Erik's neck, moaning, head lolling about as he grew lost in it. King Erik was feeling around his robes, seeming to search for something. He reluctantly pulled away and looked down at the prince.

"Where is it?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"The phial! You were supposed to have it with you at all times!"The king gasped out and the urgency in his voice was unmistakable. Charles' eyes grew round and he brought up a hand to his mouth.

"I am sorry, my lord. I left it in my room," Charles said in a small voice.

"Why would you leave it there?"The king demanded, eyes narrowing down at him.

Charles looked close to tears when he spoke softly."I...I thought you would have no need of me, my lord,"

King Erik was the one who looked puzzled this time."And why would you think that?"

Charles' eyes were trembling with his emotions, but he remained silent. He did not want to voice out his own thoughts, feeling foolish. Of course the king would still need him...as a trophy prince! He had to show everyone that he was enamored with him and perhaps this was the reason the king kept on attempting to coddle his feelings. Erik could see the despair in his eyes and mistook it as trepidation over his king's ire. Erik remained seated on the floor, looking up at his prince contemplatively.

"Dear one, do not fear me."

He reached up and hugged Charles to himself, pulling him down on to the floor so their bodies would draw closer to each other. He kissed the side of Charles' head as he held him. He could feel the warmth of the king's body and the thrill of his voice, resounding against his own chest when the other spoke in that soothing and deep voice. Charles released a soft breath. The king's actions might be calculated, but somehow he still found solace in it. Erik embraced him quietly for some time and then he broke the silence.

"I will not punish you. Not for this. However,"

The king suddenly drew back and smiled at him in a naughty way."I will deny you the use of your pants. You may keep your robe, but I am taking your pants and your undergarment away!"

Charles looked on in dismay when the king stood up and took his items of clothing with him, an insolent smile pasted upon his face. He opened the door and spoke over his shoulder.

"I'll have a maid take these back to your room and she will bring you your bottle. I implore you to keep it with you at all times,"

Charles was too stunned by what the king had done and he could only look at him with his innocent eyes. King Erik chuckled at him and closed the door, leaving him there. It took a moment for him to collect himself. He felt an aching between his legs and he winced at it, his thwarted arousal causing him pain. He covered himself up, looking anxiously at his reflection in the lounge mirror, hoping that he did not appear too unseemly. The robe reached down past his ankles so it covered his lack of pants thereof. He washed his burning face upon the sink and rinsed his mouth before going outside.

He exited the lounge, looking about him surreptitiously, embarrassed that he would be coming out of the women's lounge. Seeing no one, he hurriedly walked back towards the dining hall. His face flamed up once more when he saw the king leering out at him while seated with his other guests. He was startled when a maid came towards him, bowing low and then she quietly handed him the phial, curtsied demurely and then she left him. Charles was conscious of the bottle in his hands, aware that people around him knew what it was for. He found it somewhat degrading that he should wear it around his neck and so he was intending to put it into the pocket of his robe. Before he could do so, the king had sprung up from his seat and went towards him.

"My prince! Let me introduce you to our guests! Come!"King Erik said and then he took the bottle from the prince's fingers and slipped the necklace on him. He could do nothing about it now. He stood before the nobility, red-faced as the king made an announcement.

"Everyone, may I have your attention please! You may all know his name, but let me reintroduce my prince consort, Prince Charles Xavier of the Shi'ar Empire. I should say we are well matched not only as husbands, but by the union of our kingdoms. May both our Royal houses remain blessed and strong!"

All the guests clapped and murmured in agreement at the king's words. Charles remained silent, but smiled endearingly at his guests and they immediately took note of how winsome and attractive he is, finally seeing him without his mask. Erik led him around to personally introduce him to some of the guests, eventually taking him to the spot where his sister had been sitting next to Princess Emma.

"Sister!"Charles cried out happily, unable to contain himself and Queen Raven was surprised by Charles' affectionate greeting when the other went to her, embracing her tightly. He pulled away, smiling at her, holding both her hands.

"I have missed you so! We were not able to see each other in the forbidden valley,"

Raven smiled back at him gently."Forgive me, brother. I had to handle important matters pertaining to your betrothal," Queen Raven looked up, meeting King Erik's eyes coolly.

"Your Majesty,"

King Erik nodded in acknowledgement."Queen Raven. As you can see, your brother is doing quite well and I am happy that you have paved the way for our meeting. I thank you once again."

"I wish you everlasting happiness then," Queen Raven said meaningfully, but her eyes remained cold. King Erik was not fooled by her gracious manner. He was aware of her reluctance over the union, knowing that she had offered it up with a hidden agenda in mind. It sent a thrill through him that he had beset himself with a nest of vipers by inviting a dangerous 'ally' to be on equal standing with him, but in so knowing, he intended to keep this enemy close, to see through the other's actions. And what of Charles Xavier? Perhaps he truly is an innocent in this sordid affair. Even if he was not, well...he would be the prize he would keep when the schemes have all been brought to light. They spoke conversationally, exchanging false pleasantries, with Prince Charles looking from one to the other with earnest affection. Erik finally took leave of them to attend to the other guests and Charles remained so that he could inform his sister of the recent events that happened to him, excluding the details of his bedside frolicking with the king, yet Princess Emma brought the topic up out of her own curiosity.

"So is it true? That the king is well endowed? How was he in bed?"She asked playfully. Charles could not hide the blush that rose to his cheeks.

"Forgive me, Princess Emma. I cannot divulge such intimate details about the king."

Queen Raven elbowed Emma indignantly."How could you ask him that?"Only to conspiratorially lean towards Charles and ask him the same question in a low voice.

"But really Charles, how was it?"

"Raven!"Charles said, looking scandalized. Both women began to giggle at his flustered response. They spent quite some time talking, strolling through the king's garden until they sighted Jean Grey heading towards them with another man keeping in step with her. They addressed each other with the appropriate greetings.

"I must apologize if I am to take up a moment of your time to discuss an important matter with Prince Charles. Do we have your permission to speak to him privately, your majesty?"Jean Grey said, bowing her head gracefully.

"Yes of course. My princess and I are about to leave for another meeting. Brother, once again, I wish you well and I hope to see you soon!"Queen Raven said, kissing Charles' cheek and taking hold of Princess Emma's hand, they walked off to head into the summer castle.

"Prince Charles, let me introduce you to your instructor, Robert Drake."Lady Grey began and Charles reached out to shake hands with his instructor. The man was wearing the same priestly garb similar to what everyone else in Genosha was wearing. He had on a grey blue cassock over a white, high-collared shirt. The man also wore spectacles, like his mild-mannered bodyguard, Henry McCoy. Charles vaguely wondered where his bodyguards could be and if King Erik would allow him to keep them as part of his own retinue. He had wanted to have someone from Shi'ar to at least keep him company.

He was led back into the main castle and Robert Drake, a chancellor from Lady Grey's own chancery informed him that a study room has been set up for him and that he was to commence his studies immediately. Charles had spent perhaps two hours with him in the room, politely listening to his lengthy introduction on the subject of social etiquette and deportment. When they were done, another man was waiting for him in the hall, sitting upon a waiting bench. His black hair was cut very short and he has a stern countenance. He was wearing a tight outfit of red leather and he had on a belt that has a gold branch-like symbol emblazoned upon it. He stood up the moment the prince and his instructor stepped out. He bowed before Charles briskly.

"Your highness. My name is Unus. I am sure the king has informed you about me,"

"Yes, I know of you, Sir. Will you be taking me to my lord's harem?"

"Indeed, Sire!"

For a eunuch, Unus still appeared to be an imposing man, his stature towering and his muscles bulging fearsomely, straining against his outfit. The man led him to another part of the castle, a separate structure that has pearly walls and numerous mirrors. He entered a room painted a dark red, with gauzy drapes and numerous lounge chairs and cushions upon the floor. Charles could see the ladies sitting about the room and some of them are standing. They all hailed from noble superhuman families and were the most beautiful women of the kingdom. As he was about to enter, Unus stopped him.

"My lord, please let me remove the shield first."

Charles' brow furrowed a moment and then he saw a shimmering movement in the empty air before his eyes. Unus, it seemed, had the ability to generate a force field and he had kept the ladies inside, to prevent anyone from going in or going out. This was how he had kept the concubines from bedding any man, other than the king. Charles finally entered and he was immediately accosted by the hostile stares and the derisive expressions of the ladies of the court. He was, in this instance, a lamb thrown into a circling pack of wolves. He was aware that something like this would happen. They were jealous of him and he knew it was due to his rank over them. He had denied one of them the chance to be wed to the king. In their realm, A king could either marry a concubine, a commoner or one of royal blood, but was not allowed to marry a sibling; he could marry only one individual legally, retaining his concubines if he chose to do so.

He walked on, his head held high and he found a place to sit upon the window seat, intending not to let these women intimidate him. He was a prince and he shouldn't let their petty actions bring him down. He wondered perhaps that should time permit it, he would be able to befriend some of them. He and Erik had discussed this situation and Erik had made him understand that to learn the politics within the household is a task he must overcome by himself, for this will allow him to handle similar situations outside the kingdom.

"Not everyone will be affable towards you, my prince. Even outside these walls, you will encounter unreceptive people who will be jealous of your standing. These people care not for your tender-hearted ways or your kindness. When they see someone weak-willed, they see this as an opportunity to pounce and inflict cruelty, in every way possible. It is all about power, you see."Erik had told him grimly when they had been lying down in bed after a bout of lovemaking.

"Power, my lord?"

"Yes, dear one. We make our way into this world with what powers we have. The entire realm is an arena of power play. One look at you and these vultures will come swooping. They would see you as easy pickings."

"I care not for power, Sire."Charles said hesitantly and Erik could see that he was daunted by the situations he would have to face, now that he was prince consort of Genosha. Erik gently reached for his cheek, caressing him.

"In time, you will learn these things. You have to. You cannot confine yourself into your own little world. You are no longer in the forbidden valley. You are my prince and we must both face the world with what powers we have, hand in hand. We must show them our strength,"

"I am only a mere human, my lord. I wish I had more I could offer you,"Charles said meekly, reminded once more of his humanity, the bane of his existence; the very thing that had aroused the hatred of his own people.

Erik soothed him by kissing him senseless and he recalled the king's tenderness towards him as they made love again that night. These thoughts ran through his mind now as he stared out at the shining city. He wondered where the king was right at that moment. Perhaps he was still at the summer castle, mingling with his guests and building associations with his political allies. How he wished he had the king's innate confidence. He could feel the animosity emanating from the royal courtesans, but he did not let on that it was affecting him. He turned to glance over his shoulder and he saw a concubine in a pale pink gauzy dress that exposed her legs sauntering close by. He tried to smile at her shyly, but she snubbed her nose at him, sneering mockingly as she walked on. Charles sighed, shoulders sagging. This was not going to be an easy task.

As the afternoon drew on, he noticed that the women primped themselves up constantly, commenting on their looks and their clothing, helping each other arrange their hair and their jewelry. Charles was quietly envious of their attractiveness, for each woman was an elegant and sophisticated beauty, unlike him. One woman had remarked in a cool voice that she could not wait for King Erik to call upon her again. She bragged that her phial was half-empty and that she might need a refill soon enough. It appeared this was how the women measured their favor with the king, when their bottles were half-full or nearly empty. He pretended to ignore their conversation. He quietly sat there for some time, just gazing out at the city until he suddenly overheard some of the women sitting close by, talking about him. They made no attempt to talk quietly. They were huddled close together, but they spoke loudly so that he may hear them.

"What's a backside compared to what we can offer the king? Look at him, sitting there feeling self-important! He thinks the king favors him, when the truth of the matter is that he is but a pawn for the king's political campaign!"

"There are nobles about the palace so the king must pretend to enjoy his company. Trust me, once they are gone, the king will barely even want to have anything to do with him,"

"The king hated the humans, right sister? We all know what he really thinks of them. Why do you think he never had a human concubine?"

"Because he hated their filthy, murdering race and sodomizing one is the ultimate insult!"

They all tittered laughter at the last and Charles silently fumed at their cruel taunting. Even though it hurt, he knew there was an ounce of truth in what they had said, of him being used as a bureaucratic instrument, but their insult on his humanity was the last straw. He finally stood up, intending to leave them, but one of them crept up behind him and stepped on the trail of his robe, causing him to stumble and they broke out cackling wildly at his humiliation. Charles remained on his knees, his hands braced upon the carpeted floor. His face was red with his anger, but he remained silent. His eyes were stinging, as he fought back the tears that wanted to escape from him. _Do not cry! Do not let them see that what they had said hurt you!_ He commanded himself fiercely, struggling at the pain inside his chest even though he wanted to burst out crying. He wearily stood up and called for Unus at the doorway.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Please let me out. I would like to retire to my bedchamber,"

"Of course, your highness."Unus could see that the prince was very upset and had thrown the shield down quickly so that he might pass through.

"It is good and well that you should come out, your highness. I do not know how to send these men away. They have been standing close to the passageway and they claim they are here to keep watch upon you, even as I have told them that the task has been relegated to me,"Unus said seriously, glaring up at the men he had mentioned. It was Henry McCoy and Logan, his own bodyguards from the forbidden valley. Henry bowed low before him.

"Your highness! We are pleased to know you are doing well!"

The miserable state he was in was superseded by the sight of their familiar faces. Charles was overjoyed to finally be in the company of the men he had come to trust. Logan nodded curtly by way of greeting that it made Charles smile. Logan was a reticent man, prone to quick anger and somehow permanently surly, but he was a good man.

He took Henry's blue-furred hand in his and shook it heartily.

"I am happy to see that you are both well too. I had wanted to ask the king to allow me to keep your company, but that is if you still want to?"Charles looked at both of them intently as he asked this.

"Of course we do, your highness!"Henry said with a shy smile and Logan nodded in agreement.

"Very well, let us take leave of this place. Let us go to the king's library,"

Charles bade a quick farewell to Unus and left with his bodyguards. Along the way, they shared stories of what has happened to them since they entered Genosha and both his bodyguards were impressed that he was able to travel to Imaya and navigate an airship by himself.

"Sire, do you know where the King's library is?"Henry suddenly queried.

"Yes, I know where it is,"

He knew exactly where the library was located, for the king had pointed it out to him. He was extremely excited to peruse the Genoshan tomes, wanting to learn the Genoshan history and their form of literature. His guards remained outside as he went in. Erik had told him he was free to read the books any time he wanted to and he took Erik up on that offer, even though the king was not around. Charles breathed in the smell of parchment paper and aged ink, finding these warm familiar smells to be like dear friends and he ran his hands affectionately over the spines of the leather-bound books, lined up upon the shelves. Charles pulled out a book at random and sat with his legs folded beneath him upon a wing chair, sighing contentedly. He would much prefer the company of these books rather than to endure another moment in the company of those awful women, even though Erik had told him that it was necessary that he won them over somehow. He was eagerly poring over the book, noisily turning the pages over. The book was about the history of Genosha's mines and that it had belonged to the Lehnsherr Monarchy for centuries. He was reading it with preternatural speed.

Then, he started in shock when he heard someone breathing deeply from somewhere in the library. Charles slowly placed the book down and he stood up, walking silently past the line of shelves, trying to sense where the sound originated from and then to his immense surprise, he saw Erik slumped down in one of the wing chairs, this one standing before a fireplace and he had a half-open book at his chest. He was sleeping, head turned to the side. All this time, the king was actually in the library with him! Charles timidly drew closer, wanting to see his husband slumbering. Charles' expression softened as he gazed on affectionately at his king. Erik's high brow appeared to be set in a fretful line, as he dreamed of troubled dreams that aroused the pity in his young prince's heart. He wanted to reach out and smooth that worried line from Erik's brow and without thinking on his actions, he reached out and touched it with soft fingers, gently tracing upon the lines.

Erik instantly woke up at the touch and reached out to clamp a hand on his wrist, causing him to cry out in astonishment. Erik's alert expression softened to a languorous insolence when he realized who it was that had touched him so familiarly. It was his sweet prince.

"What are you doing here, my prince? Were you not supposed to be in my harem?"

"My lord, I...I..."Charles stammered, realizing that he had failed to follow Erik's orders to stay with the concubines. Before he could say anything, Erik grabbed him close and made him sit upon his lap. Charles immediately felt Erik's rock-hard manhood rubbing up against his backside.

"No matter. It is fortunate that you are here. We shall continue where we had left off in the waiting room!"

Charles felt his entire body run with a fever as Erik began to rain kisses at the back of his neck and his head, the book sliding off to the floor as he held Charles' wrists to restrain him. Charles writhed restlessly in his arms, melting against him.

"You smell so good,"Erik breathed against his cheek, licking lewdly at the lobe of the young prince's ear, making him shiver.

Erik's own indecent fingers touched him possessively, seeking the places that would make him moan out in pleasure. He grasped Charles' chin and forced his face to come close to his, hungrily kissing him. His tongue and teeth played upon the sweet, red lips that forever captivated him and he moaned and gasped into the kisses as he turned Charles around so he could embrace him. Charles threw his own arms around Erik's neck, restlessly running his hands up into the king's hair. They kissed for a while until Charles was the one who broke the passionate kissing, coming to his senses. He struggled away from Erik's lap and stood there, gasping breathlessly.

"Why do you do this to me, my lord?"He asked in a breaking voice, his eyes wounded.

Erik's brow knitted together, and he appeared to be puzzled by the question."I desire you. I want you. Is it not obvious enough?"

"But I am just a human! I cannot do anything! I have no special powers! You will eventually tire of me! I thought you would have already done so, but the more you touch me now, pretending to want me, the more it hurts!"Charles cried out with feeling, his voice shook with it and he could not stop the tears that had been pent up inside him. He began to weep openly before Erik.

"Why? Why?"He said as he wept, hanging his head low, feeling so small and defeated. Erik was genuinely stunned by his reaction. Charles' sister may be a scheming witch but this young man could not have been faking his feelings. He was clearly enamored with his king that he wanted the other to accept him as he is.

"Who told you I was pretending?"Erik demanded, angered that these ridiculous ideas had been foisted upon his hapless prince.

He stood up, reaching out and he gently grasped the prince's chin, seeing the young man's anguished blue eyes sparkling with tears. He wanted to kiss those tears away and soothe him, but he had to understand the prince's thoughts first.

"Why would you think such things?"

Charles' chest was still heaving, his breath coming in quick hitches as he tried to control his crying. When he spoke next, his voice was full of his eloquent feelings."I know our marriage is a sham, meant only to unite our kingdoms, but what I feel for you is real to me, even if you only use me for my body; even if you only pretend to want me. I love you, Erik. I truly do. I know my situation is hopeless. I cannot compete with any of your concubines. They are all very beautiful and I am just a man. I have nothing that I could offer you. I only have my love, small and pathetic as it is. I just want...I want to be the only one to love you. You may call me selfish for wanting to be the only one, but this is how I feel!"

The prince suddenly realized that he had spoken so plainly. He looked up at the king, confused and afraid; unsure of what happens next. Erik was thunderstruck to hear Prince Charles speaking in this manner. The prince loves him? They had met only for a short time yet he did not know that the prince would fall for him like this. When he had left him that morning, still asleep, he had been intending not to think of him so that he may focus on his duties as a king, but he found himself wistfully thinking of him; remembering the way his face looked like when he made love to him, the way he smiled and laughed over the things he had said. He just couldn't stop thinking about his face...

He drew close to Charles and gently kissed his cheek, embracing him lovingly.

"You can love me freely here, now in this moment and I will belong to no one but you," He whispered into his ear and Charles sighed softly, throwing himself into the king's arms, inhaling his scent and grabbing possessively at the folds of his clothes. Erik reached for his waist and drew him close to kiss him. He pulled back so he could part the prince's robes. Charles was gasping breathlessly, looking on as the king exposed him. Erik's hand traced seductively over his bare hip and he was guiding Charles' body towards the window. He ran his feverish palm over Charles' chest, feeling for his hardening nipples, then his hand found the other's manhood. He fondled it to life until it was stiffening angrily, right down to the root. Charles moaned and breathed out hotly against him, clinging to him, kissing his neck and his face drunkenly; eyes heavy-lidded with lust.

Erik kissed him back, gently kissing away his tears and holding one cheek in place so he could kiss him deeply in the mouth. He ground his hips up against him, their burning sexes touching. Charles writhed and moaned; his rosy skin hot to the touch. He felt so sensitive all over with the king's slightest caress. He was reduced to this state of intense arousal. Erik reached for the bottle that hung about his neck, removing it from him. He unscrewed the cap to pour some of the oil out, returning the cap and dropping it slowly to the carpeted floor. He slathered the oil copiously upon his sex and then, guiding Charles to partly sit on the window sill, he lifted one of Charles' legs, grasping directly behind his knee. Charles could only gaze down at the king in helpless agony as the king positioned himself and entered his quivering and pinkish hole slowly. He uttered a strangled cry and held on to the king tightly, the tears starting from his eyes afresh.

Erik undulated his hips up into him, his manhood ramming in deeply until the head of his sex was touching that pleasure spot inside Charles' tight, molten-hot backside. Erik could not stop himself from groaning out in pleasure, enjoying that strangling sensation; the hot tightness swallowed up his entire length and subjected it to a pleasure that just about drove him insane with want. He ground his hips upwards violently, thrusting into Charles, their bodies rocking against each other. Charles moaned even louder as Erik bucked up into him harder. He slung one leg around Erik's waist; the other was braced up against the floor as he undulated his own hips forward to meet Erik's thrusting into him. His robe had come undone, hung askew over one shoulder and his head was turned to the side, eyes shut tight and mouth hanging open as he reveled in the king's sensuous ministrations upon his body. The heat rose from their bodies, forming a steamy condensation upon the glass, with Charles' head lolling up against it involuntarily.

"Haahh! Haahh! Haaaaah!"Charles wailed out. He couldn't stand it any longer. He felt as if he would lose his mind at the building pleasure in his backside, causing his own erect sex to strain up against his belly. At the same time that Erik was pummeling him senseless against the window, Erik rained hot kisses all over his face and his neck, licking at the sweat that trickled down the line of his throat. He nibbled on his plush red lips as he kissed him possessively. Charles could do nothing but hold on to him; letting these pleasurable sensations wash over him, surrendering himself to it. His head spun with the dizzying ecstasy of it all until he finally came. He stiffened against Erik for a moment, a choked cry escaping him and then he slumped forward into Erik's embrace. He had barely recovered, but Erik kept on relentlessly pummeling him. Erik knew that Charles had already climaxed and yet he kept the punishing pace of thrusting into him.

"Uhnnn! Erik, Oh God!"Charles moaned breathlessly against his cheek, wanting him to stop because it was too much. It was too much.

But his mind...and his body craved for this. He wanted it so badly that he clung on, letting the king possess him and drive all sense from him. He was reduced to this sweaty, trembling mess as they both crumpled onto the floor. Erik released him when he climaxed, both of them gasping raggedly, unable to move as they remained where they were. Charles did not care about anything else but to have the king for himself. He crawled towards him, limbs shaking and he kissed him sloppily upon the lips, his arms going around him. They rolled about on the floor, kissing each other frantically and then Erik guided Charles to go down on his knees and he lifted the back of Charles' robe, rucking it upon Charles's lower back. Charles positioned himself on all fours, both of them still breathlessly gasping, eyes heavy with heat and then Erik picked up the phial by its chain and used the contents to lubricate himself. Charles looked on over his shoulder, licking excitedly at his lower lip and biting down in it, his expression one of carnal dissolution.

Drunkenly moving about, Erik straddled Charles and took him from behind, sliding easily into that strangling tightness once more. He grunted and began to slam his hips forward, clutching loosely at Charles' hip and the other sobbed, head turning helplessly about as if to deny the maddening pleasure of the act. Charles' arms were quaking with his exertions that he finally collapsed forward on his folded arms, weeping and moaning in ecstasy, letting the king take him over and over.

_"Did you not hear that?" The prince is crying in there!"Logan cried out and he placed one large hand upon the surface of the door, looking over his shoulder towards Henry. Henry did in fact, hear the cries coming from inside, but he seemed to have an idea that whatever it was about, he immediately sensed that he should not disturb the prince. The prince did not call out for them after all._

_"Let us leave him be. He did not utter our names in distress,"Henry said wisely._

_"But what if he is hurt?"Logan said with uncharacteristic concern over the young prince. Henry shook his head wanly trying to warn Logan but it was too late. He had already pushed the handle of the door, opening it quickly and the sight he saw upon the floor of the library had him so shocked, he grew white as a sheet with it._

_The prince was being pummeled within an inch of his life by the king, who was thrusting his hips violently into the prince as the other was slumped forward upon the floor, blushing furiously, his mouth hanging open and eyes shut tight. The king was grasping the prince's waist possessively as he leered out at Logan, not even breaking his thrusting, unabashedly half-naked. Logan could only stand there in shocked disbelief. With mincing movements, he finally found the gumption to give them their privacy. He closed the door slowly, his own face red with shame. He flung a sour glance towards Henry._

_"I told you to leave him be and I tried to warn you!"The other countered._

_"I cannot unsee what I have seen!"Logan said truculently, a vein visibly pulsing in his temple. They both stood there in awkward silence, still hearing the indecent cries rising from the prince's throat. Logan had wanted to leave Henry alone, but thought better of it. His duty was to his prince and so he remained where he was standing, enduring whatever obscene noises they heard coming from within the library._

Thoroughly sated, King Erik and Charles remained lying upon the floor, facing each other. They were gasping and sweating as if they had run and the king was holding Charles' hand in his, both of them still overcome by the pleasure spasms and the blood-heat that comes after making love. They let the tempest within their bodies pass and once they had recovered, they gazed at each other intently. Erik reached out and caressed Charles' cheek.

"Were the ladies wicked towards you, my prince? Did they cause this disquiet in your heart?"

Charles reached for his hand, holding it in his own, his gaze tender."It matters not, my lord."

Erik did not say anything for a moment, quietly regarding him. When he spoke next, the insolent playfulness was back in his voice."Justice must be meted out, my prince. Do you want to know what mode of punishment I am about to dispense upon my cruel courtesans?"

"Sire, no need to-"

The king stopped Charles from contradicting him further with a soft kiss upon his lips and when he pulled back, he quietly informed him of his plans.

In the weeks that followed, Charles obeyed his king and sat with the concubines, even though they taunted him and spoke to him rudely. They did not care that he was a prince and disrespected him at every turn. Charles reacted differently this time. He accepted their treatment of him with his quiet dignity and settled on reading his books when he had to sit in Erik's harem. He would spend perhaps several hours in their company and then he would leave for his own bedchamber near the evening. Charles was sitting with them one day when Unus called for Charles.

"Your highness, the king would like an audience with you,"

"Very well."

Charles closed his book and carefully swept the train of his dark brown robe up so that the ladies would not attempt to trip him like they did before. They looked on after him, envious that the king still wanted to see him. By this time, most of the wedding guests had left and only a few remained. Surely, the king would have dropped the pretense of favoring him by now. They found it odd that the king had not called for any of them at all ever since Charles arrived and it caused them much concern over their position in the court. It did not escape their notice that the king had been asking for the prince quite frequently. Charles returned several hours later and from behind the force field, the ladies could see that Charles looked as if he was thoroughly ravished. A sheen of sweat basted his forehead, making his creamy skin glow and his face was still flushed; a satisfied smile pasted on his face. The kiss marks were visible upon his exposed throat and he smiled at Unus languidly as he held his empty phial up.

"Unus, the king has asked me to bring my phial to you to be replenished,"

"Ah, young prince! Another refill? Why, this bottle was full only yesterday!"

Charles gave him a dazzling smile, choosing to remain silent and the ladies of the court looked on with green-eyed fury from where they were confined, crowding around at the force field.

"Will you be going back into the harem, my lord?"

"The king still needs me, I'm afraid. I may not return. He has asked me to stay in his bed room for tonight,"Charles murmured and then he gave the ladies a playful smirk, lifting a naughty eyebrow up and they were all but clamoring for his blood. He sauntered away from them, giggling to himself as he made his way back into Erik's bedroom. Charles informed Erik of the reaction of the concubines, both of them laughing over the fact that the king's plan had worked.

"I will not allow you to go back in there ever again! They might hurt you!"Erik said as they both sat in Erik's bed, facing each other.

"I know how to defend myself, my king!"

"But those women have powers. I mean it, Charles! If you had gone back in there, who knows what they might have done. You never know what harebrained ideas these women could get into, just to avenge any slight to their egos!"

Charles chuckled at Erik's sudden concern."It was your idea, my king!"

"Indeed! Amusing as it is, I will not find any humor in it if any harm came to you,"Erik suddenly reached up and caressed his cheek, causing the other's smile to falter. His cheek grew feverish, just with the slightest touch from Erik. Of the weeks that passed, their bedroom antics had increased in frequency and Charles had only a few days to recover in between. His hips and his backside has a constant dull ache from being taken by Erik so many times, only healed by the oil that they had used during their lovemaking. Still, his recovery was slow. Erik was just so insatiable. He would possess him anywhere he wanted to take him. The king had him bending over his desk in the main chancery one day, while Lady Grey was not around. They did it quite a lot in the king's bedroom; sometimes they mated in the king's library and one time, Erik ravaged him against a tree trunk in the garden while they were supposed to be out 'strolling' and Charles feared that his screams of pleasure rang all across the land. They were in a constant state of heat for each other whenever they touched that it frightened him, for it was bordering on an unhealthy obsession. Charles reached up to push Erik's hand away.

"I will still have to interact with them, Sire, when we eat in the dining hall."

"Then I will make sure your bodyguards are are around to keep a close watch on you,"

Charles began to get up from the bed, but Erik grabbed his wrist."Where are you going?"

"Back into my bed chambers, Sire."

Erik grinned up at him lewdly and roughly forced him back upon the bed, straddling him, causing him to cry out in shock."We have enough oil, do we not? Let us make ample use of it."

Erik then tore at his robes, kissing him violently that the prince could do nothing as he surrendered to Erik's desire for him, moaning wantonly and holding on to the other as he was subjected to a state of exquisite pleasure and pain once more.

He took a long warm bath afterwards, assisted by Shadowcat. She was able to procure some healing salts for his aching limbs. He did not join the rest of the court during dinnertime and instead, called specifically for Moira to bring him his meal and he remained in bed, recumbent. He only got up to accomplish his nightly ritual of rinsing his mouth and his face upon a washbasin and then he went back into bed, groaning tiredly. As the night deepened, he heard a knock upon his door, rousing him from his semi-state of slumber. He got up from bed, donning a dress-robe. He called for whoever it was to announce their name before he allowed them entry and he was stunned when Erik spoke from behind the door.

"Won't you let me in, my prince?"Erik said in that familiar deep and calm voice of his.

Charles of course, could not deny his king entry and so he opened his door for the him. Erik saw the look of quiet anguish on his face, causing him to frown in concern.

"Am I...not welcome?"

"Of course you are welcome, my king. Please, do come in."Charles said softly, even though there is a soft tremor in his voice.

Erik stepped in and closed the door behind him, but he had one possessive hand on Charles' shoulder as he made the movement and then he was guiding the other towards the bed. Erik's hand went to his hip and Charles winced in pain. The king immediately noticed it and understanding dawned upon him. He had Charles sitting on the edge of the bed and he smoothed down his shoulders gently.

"I will not do anything to you, Charles. I would only like...I would only like to lie in bed next to you, if you will let me,"King Erik said gently. He had never asked this of anyone, not even of his concubines; the act of asking in this manner was in fact beneath him yet he felt affectionate towards his sweet prince and he knew he had forced himself upon the other far too many times. A human being's stamina is different from that of his kind. He had failed to consider that when he possessed Charles' body, sexually sating himself on him. Charles looked perturbed, perhaps he did not believe what his king had said so Erik cleared his throat, speaking seriously.

"I shall allow you to impose any rule upon me, my prince, within the walls of your bedchamber. If you wish it so, I will not touch you indecently in this room. I promise to uphold whatever rule you may ask of me in your own bed, henceforth."

Charles smiled up at him shyly, reaching for the king's hand and edging backwards in bed so that they could both lie down. Erik noticed the pillow and recognized it as similar to the one they had in the wedding chamber. He picked it up and he saw Charles' cheeks flame up.

"Was this not a pillow from the wedding chamber, my prince?"

"Yes my lord,"Charles mumbled.

Erik's eyebrows knitted together in wonder."Does it hold such sentiment that you wish to keep it?"

Charles did not say anything, pursing his generous lips together and his blue eyes glimmering in embarrassment. Erik suddenly realized what it meant to Charles and he smiled at him tenderly. He placed the pillow behind his own head and drew Charles in his embrace.

"Why keep a pillow when you can have me in your bed and hold me, hmm?"Erik prodded him and Charles uttered a small giggle, burying his face against Erik's chest, sighing happily, overwhelmed by his affection for him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so sorry for the delay. T_T I'm not sure I did this chapter right because it was rushed. I tried to force myself to write. I've been so busy at work so apologies for the poor editing. Will fix this if needed. I really hate making people wait. So again, my apologies to everyone.

 

The prince stood by King Erik's side as Queen Raven and Princess Emma prepared to embark on their airship, bound for Shi'ar. They stood upon a large, circular airstrip, where large aircrafts alighted and took flight. Queen Raven's steel-blue craft was shaped like an egg but it was massive, its wingspan greater than that of normal airships. It was time for the queen to leave her brother in Genosha and resume her royal duties in her own kingdom. Charles did his utmost to keep his tears in check, maintaining a dignified air, hugging and kissing the queen demurely.

"Write to me, Charles! Just let me know how you are faring, tell me everything! I shall read each missive you will send forth and read it with haste!"

"Of course I will, sister!"

Queen Raven was the one who hugged him fiercely, surprising him and then she pulled back smiling, her yellow eyes moist with unshed tears. Charles also bade farewell to Princess Emma, the other cool and unperturbed, unlike her queen. Queen Raven was the last to leave Genosha along with her retinue. They had remained in Genosha for almost a month, a respite for the queen, really, for like King Erik, she was beset with the concerns of her own kingdom. With her brother's union to the Genoshan king, her kingdom's position will remain secure, and no other kingdom would dare oppose her now. The queen went to King Erik, shaking hands with him. They gazed at each other with calculating coldness. Charles, being without guile saw no meaning in their exchange. He was in a state of sadness over his sister's leaving, but he knew she had to go back to Shi'ar.

When they had finally departed, Prince Charles immediately retired to his own bedchambers so that he would have a moment to himself. King Erik left him alone, knowing he could not console his prince for the nonce and went about his day, performing his own duties. He had arranged for a new set of envoys to journey deep into the south on a diplomatic mission, spreading news of his quest for unification. Afterwards, he was to attend a meeting with his chancellors to discuss the new laws that would be imposed upon the kingdoms he had conquered. Jean Grey had taken care of the rest of his official duties in Genosha but Erik, being a king prone to diligence, took the time to meet with Lady Grey in his private chancery to look over the documents that needed his attention. The prince, however, was never far from his thoughts.

 _Why am I like this?_ Charles asked himself, vexed by his own soft-heartedness as he cried while lying in his bed, hugging Erik's pillow to himself. His sadness was deep and he felt as if nothing would ever comfort him. Raven's departure signaled his complete severance from Shi'ar. Even though his own people despised him, Shi'ar was his home. He cried silent tears until he exhausted himself and he fell asleep. He fell into a dreamless sleep, perhaps due to his exhaustion. He woke up with a start because heated lips were kissing at his throat, licking seductively at his skin and Charles realized that he was naked, his backside full of slick heat and the length of his king's manhood, ramming into him with frenetic abandon. His entire body tingled with desire even while he was unconscious, burning with feverish pleasure as he was taken repeatedly. His nipples were aching and tingling with electric heat as Erik straddled him, his own manhood rising to the occasion. Languorous as he was, his own body continued to respond to his king's sexual ministrations.

"Ah! Erik!"Charles moaned, trying to push him away, but without any real force as his own hips bucked up to meet the king's thrusting hips. His legs were splayed out and he arched his back wantonly as they continued, his toes curling in his intense arousal, eyes dreamy and lost in the king's lust for him. He bit his lower lip sensuously and reached up to caress King Erik's chest and then his hands were gripping tightly at his king's shoulders while the other pummeled him faster.

"Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhhhh!"Charles wailed, head turning helplessly about and then he came, his fingernails digging deep into King Erik's flesh as he screamed out in pleasure and then the king followed suit. Both of them were breathlessly gasping, with the king crumpling on top of him, satisfied by their sexual release. Charles attempted to push the king away once more. He couldn't believe that the other would take him even as he slept.

"My king, you promised not to take me in my room!"Charles cried out, his tone slightly accusatory.

The king began to chuckle, pulling away from Charles and propping himself up on his side, his eyes full of tender amusement.

"Look about you, my prince."

Charles blinked and sat up straight and he immediately saw that he was not in his room. He was in the king's bedchamber. The king carried his unconscious form into this room so that he could freely ravage his sleeping prince. Charles had to utter a low laugh at the king's perseverance. He reached for the king's cheek and kissed him, nuzzling his ear gently.

"You are quite cunning my king! To take advantage of me while I slept!"

"Even in repose, you are too delectable for me to resist, my sweet."Erik said under his breath, languidly gazing at his beautiful husband, lying next to him upon the pale blue sheets, delighting in the sight of his sweaty and blushing skin. When he entered Charles' room earlier, seeing the other fast asleep, he felt compelled to take him the moment he saw the other's beautiful red lips pursing out and he could not contain it any longer. He had to kiss him and so he took the other's unconscious form and carried him into his own room so that he might have his way with him. Charles was so deep in his slumber that not once did he stir as the king tore his clothes off and licked and sucked his skin possessively, kissing his lips and his slack face and enjoying the fact that he could do whatever he wanted with him. He leaned in close and whispered huskily to Charles.

"You make me lose control, my young lord and I like it. You make me want to do it over and over again,"The king drew even closer, meaning to straddle him, but Charles surprisingly, slapped at his face, repeatedly giving him light blows, laughing as he did so and Erik stopped him from continuing by rolling him on to his back and raining him with kisses, laughing along with him.

"Stop it!"Charles cried out, cackling. It appeared Erik had broken through his melancholy, knowing exactly what he needed. They stopped only to kiss with their usual passionate hunger and then Charles rested his head upon Erik's chest when they stopped with their frolicking. The king gently ran his fingers through Charles' hair, soothing him further.

"There is naught that I can do to allay your grief, my young lord. Only this,"King Erik kissed his forehead and gazed at him affectionately.

"I promise you, I shall arrange a visit with your sister and if you want it so, I shall accompany you. Do not think that I am such a rigid king, that I would not give you the right to see your kin,"

Charles was slightly mortified because he had assumed that the king would not have allowed him such a request, hence the sadness he felt. He was relieved that his king was truly mindful of his feelings and he clung on to the other, happily pressing his face against the king's throat. They lay in bed all afternoon, talking quietly and the king told him of his current plans while Charles informed him of the progress of his studies with chancellor Robert Drake.

"I am learning so much from Chancellor Drake, but I do wish he did not speak in such a cold and flat manner. At times I feel as if I am about to fall asleep just listening to his droning voice,"

The king laughed at that because he thought the same of Chancellor Drake, remembering when the other would discuss plans with him that his voice was so dreary it was all he could do to concentrate and listen to him.

"Perhaps the poor boy just needs to be tupped,"King Erik said dryly that it caused Charles to giggle uncontrollably. He put a hand to his mouth as a vision of his dull instructor copulating with an ewe flashed before his eyes.

"Y-You mean with sheep?"Charles chuffed, trying to control his laughter, his eyes sparkling with merriment.

"No, I mean he needs a woman to bed with him, to shake that dreariness from him! Why must you think of sheep?"The king asked, curious.

"Well tupping is associated with sheep, my lord,"

King Erik chuckled insolently at that and gazed down at his innocent husband."Tupping has a different meaning in my kingdom, young prince. It means to bed with someone, vigorously. And now that you have associated your instructor with bestiality, I cannot undo the image of him that I see in my mind. Tsk, you are becoming a perverted young man, my prince. The shame of it!"

Charles chortled with glee at this knowledge and the king's dry humor, shoving his face at his king's shoulder and laughing with him. He struggled to comport himself but he was red in the face from all the laughing they had been doing. The king suddenly asked him about his situation with the royal concubines and Charles became subdued when their topic shifted towards it.

"All is well, my lord. They do not trouble me of the late."

King Erik's brow furrowed at this."Are you sure?"

"They may gaze at me with hate but that is all! Please, sire! I assure you all is well!"Charles said gaily yet there was falseness underneath his words.

Charles' conflict with the royal courtesans did not end just yet. King Erik was not an idle king and was constantly called away to deal with the affairs of his kingdom, leaving his prince consort to his own devices. The king had advised Charles to stay clear of the concubines and to immerse himself in his studies instead, comforted in the knowledge that his prince consort has his own royal guards to keep him safe. But the king had overlooked the capabilities of his concubines. Unbeknownst to him, they have devised of every means possible to make the prince's life miserable in the castle. They would use their powers upon him, not really to injure the prince, but to humiliate him by making him stumble or they would throw things at him. While he was in the dining hall once, a courtesan named Abcissa temporarily blinded him with a flash of light before his eyes, using the energy bursts coming from her fingertips while his guards were not looking. Later on, one of them levitated food over his head and spilled soup all over him. It was all cruel pranks and jibes and Charles endured it, not even reporting any of it to Erik.

"My lord, do you not think this has gone far enough? What if they hurt you?"Henry said with concern as Charles washed his soot-covered face in his private bathing chamber. This was the recent prank they had played upon him. He was walking by the fireplace in one of the castle halls and one of them started a large fire, the smoke shooting towards Charles, manipulated by the concubine named Angelica. He was not burned, but there was so much smoke and soot that his body was coated with it and he was reduced to a violent fit of coughing. The concubines were laughing at him derisively from around a corner and Logan chased after them, but they were able to evade him quickly. Charles sighed tiredly and looked up at Henry.

"Do not concern yourself over this. These are but childish acts. I will not stoop to their level and go running to my king, reporting every slight they deal upon me."

"Prince Charles, you are of royal blood. You do not deserve to be treated so viciously by those conniving vixens!"Henry cried out with righteous indignation, angry that Prince Charles would not even let them report his situation to the king. Prince Charles shook his head weakly.

"Please understand. Their actions are petty and meaningless. My king has enough to deal with than to trouble himself over such triviality."Prince Charles said in a quiet voice and what he said was the truth. King Erik was constantly called off to attend to the concerns of the kingdom and there was much that he had to do. Charles could see that Erik was always in Lady Grey's chancery, signing off and stamping upon decrees, arranging meetings with his vassals. He would discuss disputes and quell any dissension across all the other kingdoms under his rule. He was so preoccupied by important matters that Charles realized his own troubles were inconsequential compared to Erik's own undertaking. Charles had been tempted to tell Erik what treatment he had been receiving, but thought better of it. He only knew that somehow, they would eventually tire of their tricks.

Charles came up with a convenient solution to deter the concubines. They seemed to avoid drawing near the king's library or his private chancery for some reason. He did not know that they feared Jean Grey, a woman with telepathic and telekinetic powers. They had a run-in with her once when they tried to intimidate her but they all had a taste of her abilities, sending them packing. She was far too powerful, a true force to be reckoned with. Lady Grey frequented the library and was a fixture in the chancery. These two places were her territories and the concubines knew well enough to stay out of her way. She might look quiet and withdrawn, but she could be quite frightening. It was because of Jean Grey that the king found out about Charles' situation with the concubines. Charles was sitting quietly by himself in the library, reading a book when Lady Grey entered. She smiled at him serenely.

"My lord! It is a pleasure to see you here," This was the only time that they had actually encountered each other in the library. Prince Charles nodded towards her in acknowledgement when she curtsied before him.

"Lady Grey. The pleasure is mine!"

"Excuse me, my lord. I have to attend to an important matter,"She was intending to peruse the shelves for a particular book regarding agricultural laws.

"Please, go about your business. I wish not to detain you,"Charles said politely and went back to reading his book. She curtsied once more and continued on her way. She walked slowly down the aisles, looking for the agricultural book upon the shelves, when she sensed something about the prince. She did not mean to hear his thoughts, but his concern over the concubines bullying him in the dining hall tonight reached her loud and clear. Her brow creased at this and she stopped in her tracks.

She stared off into space for only a few minutes, but it was enough for her to tap into Prince Charles Xavier's mind and in an instant, she knew everything there was to know about him. She saw his childhood; saw his suffering in the hands of his own people when they branded him an anomaly of the Phaser race. She saw his lonely moments in the Forbidden Valley and all of his thoughts and dreams. She saw his fears over marrying the king and then she saw this small memory of herself in his head while preparing him for his wedding. She was only mentioned in passing, really. Queen Raven knew of her powers and had asked that after the bathing attendants bathed her brother, their memories should be wiped clean so that they would not remember his face. Queen Raven informed her brother of this via a missive, to reassure him that Lady Grey would wipe their minds. She saw the prince reading the letter, when the queen mentioned Jean's name. Lady Grey had acquiesced to this request, but she took the memories from the attendants, making sure that the prince did not hide any weapons meant for assassinating the king.

The most prominent image that she kept seeing in his mind was the king's face. She did not mean to see all of it but she saw the passion of their lovemaking and how deeply they felt affection for each other. Then, she saw the cruelty of the concubines towards him. She started in shock when her mind touched something very black and empty in the farther reaches of his memory system. Missing memories? Someone had removed the memories from the young man's mind. It was odd, very odd indeed. Because of these revelations, she found that there was something more to the prince. He was an intelligent and capable man, the king even praising his amazing eidetic memory and his innocent nature and yet the prince hid a secret that even he had no knowledge of.

She found out that the king did not even know what was happening to the poor prince and she thought that she should speak on his behalf, even though he would think her actions meddlesome. She had always loathed the concubines because they went about the castle intimidating everyone they deemed weak, even harassing the staff because they considered everyone else beneath them. She was glad the king did not marry a courtesan. Surely, if one of those arrogant concubines became a princess consort of the king, that woman would be overbearing and would use her position of power, browbeating the people of the kingdom. She hastily left the room, forgetting the book she needed for her research. She knew the king's schedule and knew exactly where he was. She immediately found the king in the sparring room where he was practicing, honing his skill to control metal. He could make intricate shapes and weapons just with his mind and she found the display intriguing. He was controlling fine pieces of metal this time, shaping them into spears. His hands were held high and he was concentrating on forging the desired shape he wanted the metal to assume. When he was done, he turned to face her.

"A rare sight it is to see you here, Jean. It must be quite important that you cannot wait to see me. Or is it because you wish to enjoy the sight of me bare-chested and sweating?"King Erik jeered, reaching for a woolen cloth to wipe at his face and then he began to put on his robe. Jean ignored the king's attempt to disconcert her. She bowed low before him and then she looked at him intently.

"My king, you have to see this."Jean said in a grave tone of voice and Erik's insolent expression fell. Jean did not say anything more. She immediately shared her thoughts with the king and showed him everything about Charles Xavier, right down to the odd blackness she encountered in his mind. It was strangely intimate, coming from her, but King Erik was pleased to know that Charles Xavier loved him deeply, the other genuinely enamoured with him. He became extremely wrathful when he found out about the concubines mistreating his prince. When Lady Grey finished sharing the images, the king paced about the room like a caged animal, his expression full of his vehement anger. He suddenly stopped pacing and he went towards Jean.

"I will not let this go on. I shall see them off and I care not what their families will say!"

Ever since the prince came into his life, King Erik found it difficult to find pleasure in bedding his concubines any more. He still met with them, engaging them in conversation and allowing them to join his company when he dined privately, even going so far as to allow them to kiss him and embrace him in public, but he had grown sensitive towards the prince's feelings after their moment in the library. King Erik did not want to hurt him. He had admonished his concubines at one time, advising them to treat the prince respectfully, but it seemed they ignored their king's request. He had contemplated on how best to deal with his concubines and he thought that this was his answer. He had to release them from their bond. He will return them to their families, with adequate recompense. Jean was actually smiling at the thought of removing these women from the castle. The king was aware of her displeasure towards them and he suddenly smiled at the mean thoughts she had of them. Jean realized she was smiling openly when she linked her mind with the king because she wished to know his thoughts that she averted her gaze, blushing.

"Ah, Lady Grey! If any man knew of your ruthlessness, they would be in for quite a surprise!"

"Forgive me, my lord!"Jean murmured, suddenly not knowing how to react to what the king had said. But then, King Erik's expression darkened once more.

"What of that black void in his mind. What does it mean?"

"I think I know what it is, your majesty. Some of his memories were torn away from him. A powerful superhuman must have done this. I know not of the reason, but I only know that this empty space in his mind must have been a very tragic memory that was why it was removed."She said gravely. King Erik nodded at this, growing thoughtful himself. Another mystery about Charles. What could that memory be? Could it be related to King Raphael's death? When Jean Grey showed him the images from Charles' head, he did not see the part about the king dying, nor did he see any memories of Charles going to King Raphael's funeral. He thought it best not to bring it up with Charles. Not yet. He did not wish to trouble his prince any further. The important thing was to prevent him from suffering at the hands of his cruel courtesans.

Charles exhaled a breath, bracing himself as he entered the dining hall. This was quite different from the quiet dining table he had been used to in the Forbidden Valley. Here, numerous round tables were about and court officials, chancellors and royal guards dined together, along with their king. Charles would sometimes see his king dining with a concubine or a court official, conversing with them. There were occasions when the king would call for him so that they may dine together but if the king was preoccupied, he dared not disturb him, eating his meal with his two Royal guards instead. He was preparing himself against a cruel prank under way. He had come to expect the worst possible things the courtesans could do to humiliate him. He had his guards following closely behind him. They headed for their usual spot. Charles gazed at the king's table and saw that this time the king dined with his adviser, Lady Grey. They appeared to be seriously discussing something.

Charles had no idea that they were talking about him. At that moment, a concubine named Tessa was already preparing to launch something at him. She smiled wickedly, using her telekinetic power, intending to spill a large bowl of stew at him. Her powers were inferior compared to Lady Grey's power, but she used it nonetheless to humiliate the prince. To her immense shock, the bowl actually hurled its way towards her and the hot stew splashed down over her face and her hair, making her scream piercingly. The people about looked over at her, startled. Her yellow dress was ruined. She ran from the dining hall, crying while Charles looked on after her, startled like the rest. They did not see that both the king and Lady Grey were laughing over what the supposedly quiet adviser had done. Lady Grey was the one who had taken control of the bowl and spilled the soup upon the malicious courtesan.

The other concubines in the dining area did not know what had happened either, but they continued with their attempts to maltreat the prince. One of them tried to trip Charles. Jean recalled that the woman's name was Noriko. Noriko used her power to make the fabric of the prince's outfit stick to the floor, using the static in the air, but Jean distracted her by having a server set fire to her dress. The server 'accidentally' spilled heating wax from a small dish used for keeping food warm on to the hem of her skirt, causing it to burst into flames. The woman was screaming and running about awkwardly, nearly half naked that the servants all rushed to throw water at her. The people began to laugh at her and she ended up like the first concubine, running out the door in utter humiliation. The concubines grew wary this time, realizing that something was happening and then they saw Jean Grey, who looked over at them coolly, meeting their angry stares.

"The game is up, my king! They are retreating,"Jean Grey said as the concubines all left together in a huff, throwing cutting stares at her. The king laughed at that and looked about to see what was happening to his prince. His innocent prince was oblivious to what Jean Grey had done, eating on with his Royal guards and conversing with them.

"I think we should keep on following Prince Charles, just to make sure they don't try anything else with him."Erik said throatily and raised his wine glass to toast with Jean. She lifted her glass to meet his own glass, smiling impishly.

"As you wish, my king."

They did continue with their scheming, as the king had rightfully guessed. While Prince Charles took a leisurely walk through the garden along with his Royal guards after their supper, Callie, a concubine capable of controlling plants tried to send forth some vines towards the prince, controlling the vines that lined the pathway. King Erik and Lady Grey followed them covertly, with Lady Grey making sure that their approach was not noticed by the concubines. The king sensed that the vines were connected to metal wires. Before the concubine could play her prank upon the prince, King Erik controlled the metal attached to the vines and sent the trailing stems after Callie and the group she had with her. The vines clamped around at their ankles and Erik had them hanging by their ankles up in the air, screaming, their skirts hanging over their faces, exposing them. Both the king and Lady Grey snickered quietly and Erik thought he needed to do something more to punish them. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the concubines flying, throwing them towards an oak tree and they hung upon the branches unceremoniously, bruised and humiliated. The king and his adviser walked past the tree, pretending to happen by. The ladies were groaning and trying to untangle themselves as the king looked up.

"Goodness, Callie! Whatever could you be doing up there?"The king said, pretending to be appalled.

Callie was red in the face, embarrassed that the king should see her so disgraced like this that she could not say anything. She was staring murderously at Lady Grey, thinking that this was her doing. Lady Grey gazed up at her and her group with taunting eyes.

"Perhaps my lord, they intend to help with the gardening?"Lady Grey said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You witch!"Callie shrieked at her, thrashing from between the branches. Both the king and Lady Grey feigned shocked expressions.

"Callie, do not disrespect my adviser!"King Erik said severely. The ladies were slowly making their way down from the tree.

"She did this to me and my friends!"Callie continued to shout, stomping about and shaking her fists angrily, acting like a child having a tantrum. Lady Grey mockingly put a hand to her chest, acting offended.

"I have done no such thing!"Lady Grey said indignantly but she had a snide expression upon her face as she said it. Callie's friends had to restrain her from trying to attack Lady Grey. The ladies hastily excused themselves, apologizing and briskly walked away from the king's presence, mortified beyond words and dragging Callie along forcibly. King Erik eyed the path that his prince had taken and he was glad that no harm came to him, feeling a wave of affection come over him just to see Charles walk on.

"I can see how bad it has gotten. Why did he keep this to himself?"Erik asked softly as he watched his prince retreating from him, unaware that his king was protecting him, with Lady Grey's assistance.

"This is because the prince wishes for you to attend to your duties, my king. He understands your kingdom's concerns are greater than his,"

King Erik shook his head weakly at this, his voice full of his conviction."No more shall he suffer. I will put an end to all of this by tomorrow!"

"What are your plans, my lord?"

King Erik's insolent smile was back upon his face."Why, we will be holding a celebration. I want you to make these arrangements for me, Jean-"

Jean nodded, smiling knowingly."Yes, your majesty!"

Charles thought it quite odd that the concubines had done nothing to him that day, but he found it pleasant that his evening went about smoothly and he was able to retire in a relaxed manner to his bedchamber. He was quietly reading a letter sent to him by Queen Raven, along with letters sent by his former staff in the Forbidden Valley, when there was a sudden knock at his door. He distractedly called out to the person waiting outside.

"Who is it?"

"It is your king, my young prince."Erik called out and Charles hastily got up from the bed, excitedly pulling on his robe. The prince nervously ran his hands through his hair and arranged his clothing. He flung a quick glance into the mirror and then he opened the door, giving the king a winsome smile.

"My king! Please do come in!"

Erik returned the smile and entered, closing the door behind him."I would like to sleep in your bed tonight,"He said in a throaty voice. He reached for Charles' shoulders and guided him towards the bed. A high flush of color already blossomed upon the prince's cheeks before the king even had him lying on his back. The king gazed down at him dreamily and then he gently bent down and kissed him. Charles trembled slightly. When the king kissed him passionately, he was driven senseless, losing himself in the passion of it all. He tried to push the king away.

"Please my king,"Charles murmured softly, turning his head away.

"Please what, Charles?"King Erik said with a lewd smile when they broke the kissing. The king gently nuzzled his cheek and Charles could feel the rasp of the king's stubble against his skin, sending a thrill through him.

"We are just kissing. Nothing wrong with that, is there?"The king asked when Charles remained silent. The king sucked upon his lips, his kisses gnashing and possessive and Charles moaned into the kisses as the king continued. Charles could not control the stirring between his legs and he flushed deeper when he realized the king could probably feel him growing hard, just with their torrid kissing. They kept on kissing like that, reducing Charles into a state of swooning, his eyes gazing out as if drugged and his skin burning feverishly. The king finally allowed Charles to draw in air when he broke the kisses, watching the other's chest breathlessly heaving. Erik was smiling down at him, pleased over seeing him in this state, then his expression grew serious.

"Is there something you wish to tell me, my prince?"

The prince seemed startled by the question, coming to his senses. He did not say anything for some time and when he spoke his voice was low and solemn, his lashes lowered, avoiding the king's penetrating stare.

"Forgive me, my king. I did not tell you the truth. All is not well with me and your courtesans."

"What did they do to you?"Erik demanded.

"Childish tricks, my lord. Nothing more."Charles said and the king winced inwardly, hearing the prince speak lightly of his situation. These women had insolently disobeyed him and he could not let this go unpunished.

"Why must you keep the truth from me?"

"I did not want to trouble you, my lord,"

"Trouble me? You are no trouble to me at all! If something needs my attention, you must tell me, my prince!"King Erik said with feeling, his eyes flashing intensely. He was lying on his side, facing the young prince and then he lifted the other's chin so that they may face each other.

"Charles, you are dear to me, more than you will ever know. Have I not promised you that my kingdom is your home? If I cannot make you feel comfort and peace even in your own home, then that would mean that I have failed you!"

Charles gently reached up and caressed his king's cheek."Erik, I did not mean for it to go about this way,"

"I know, my prince. Your heart is too kind and this might very well be your curse, but I must put things right. Tomorrow, I shall deal with my concubines, once and for all!"

Charles' eyes widened at that."Erik, please! What are you planning to do?"

Erik smiled at him kindly and drew him close in his embrace."Worry not about it, Charles. Let us retire for the night."

The king did not see the worried expression upon his face but Charles could do nothing about it now. He could only wait for his king's judgment upon the concubines and he hoped that the king would not harm them.

The concubines received a letter from the king's chancery early in the morning, inviting them to a celebration that would be held tonight in the king's throne room. Unus read the letter for all of them, advising each and every courtesan to dress in their finest clothing and to wear their best jewelry in preparation for the event.

"The king would like for you to outdo yourselves, if possible."Unus said dryly and some of them tittered and laughed happily. They have long awaited days like these, when the king would throw lavish banquets just for them. The king must have finally grown tired of his prince. Callie thought the king had come to his senses after seeing the ill-luck that had befallen some of his courtesans yesterday evening, the meddling adviser's acts against them backfiring on her, this was the smug thought that ran through Callie's mind. But some of them were suspicious of it, voicing out their opinions on the matter thus.

"How could you think such a thing of the king, Noriko? He loves us! We all know he just had to wait until the prince's sister left Genosha before going back to us. How stupid can you be? Why would he chose one man over all of us?"Tessa cried out irritably, annoyed by the other's pessimism. Noriko looked about at the cutting stares of the other concubines and decided to keep her opinions to herself. They all decided to purchase new garments instead and spent the entire day primping and preparing themselves for their king. There was a buzz of excitement within the harem as they helped each other get ready for tonight's celebration. When the sun had gone down, they all sauntered down the castle halls to the appreciative stares of the servants and the guards. Their sweeping gowns flowed about, each color and design different, enhancing their regal appearance as they walked on with their heads held high. They were admitted into the throne room, where the king waited for them. He was seated upon his magnificent throne, carved intricately and made of precious metals found only in Genosha. The king looked handsome as always, wearing a dark gray cassock this time and a flowing red cape lined with ermine. He never wore any jewelry, nor did he wear a crown for the occasion. His chin was propped up by one hand as he smiled arrogantly at them.

Each concubine greeted the king and curtsied before him, taking their seat upon the thick cushions that were scattered about the carpeted floor. They murmured and talked about excitedly among themselves as they waited for the entertainment and the food to arrive. Each woman wore their phial of blue oil, expecting some orgy to occur once the king has taken his pick on which concubine to bed with for the night. Slowly, they realized that the king had remained seated, staring out at all of them, his gaze flat and ominous. He was strangely silent while they were all buzzing about delightedly. The king's silence infected them somehow and they grew hushed as they wondered what was going on. The silence that followed was long and awkward. The king finally broke it when he sat up straight and asked them something quite unexpected.

"Did I not ask you to treat my prince respectfully?"

Stunned silence from the concubines. They looked about at each other, their hearts filled with dread, not knowing what the king was thinking about.

"I know of the things you have done to my poor prince. You have not only disrespected him, you have insulted me by ignoring my simple request. You have displeased me by dishonoring my name. Did you not think that this would be an insult to the prince's royal family? You have shown me such poor manners with your blatant disregard of a nobleman's dignity and royal standing,"

"Forgive us, my lord!"One of them cried out and then they were all clamoring for his attention, apologizing repeatedly.

"Silence!"King Erik thundered out and they all quailed before him, eyes wide and imploring. The king coldly regarded all of them and they knew without a doubt, that the king was out to punish them for their deeds.

"I banish you all from my castle! I am sending you back to your families along with remuneration for your services,"The king said impassively, causing some of the concubines to weep openly, begging for the king to reconsider. Most of them were angrily shouting at the unfairness of the king's decision. The king lifted his hand and out came his Royal guards, rounding up the ladies and dragging them out the door. Several of the women threw curses at the king and wailed so heartrendingly, as if their pathetic attempts would sway him somehow. The king just stared on as each concubine was taken from the room until no one was left.

"Charles, you may come out now,"The king called out and the prince stepped out of his hiding place from behind the large throne. The king gestured for Charles to kneel at his feet and Charles did as he was told, placing one hand upon his king's thigh and looking up at him sadly.

"Why would you feel sorry for them? They have insulted us both! This punishment is mild enough compared to what I could have possibly done to them."

"Not all of them treated me ill, my lord."

King Erik sighed and reached for Charles' chin, gently caressing his face."You told me...you want to be the only one to love me. Am I not granting your request, by sending them away?"

Charles blushed furiously, his blue eyes glimmering with his feelings. He could not believe that his king would do something so rash. Now, not only has the king caused such unhappiness to these women, he has made enemies of their families by banishing their daughters and sisters from his castle. The king did these things for him. He felt bad for the concubines, but a greater part of him was overjoyed that the king was his alone now. He would have no need to vie for the king's affections because they were his alone. Charles leaned one arm upon Erik's thigh, kissing his king's clothed knee. He laid his head against his king's leg and ran his palm over the other's leg.

"Thank you, Erik."

The king reached out and caressed the back of Charles' head possessively, running his fingers through the prince's soft brown locks, content with the decision he has made. From now on, he would have only one man to keep his bed warm.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late post. :( As always, I've been busy with other stuff, but I promise I will finish this fic and take it to the very end. I'm actually posting this sooner than I should be because there is a second part to it but I'll continue on to the next chapter instead. Thank you to the readers who have stuck with me so far. Without you, I would not have the drive to keep on writing, so thank you for your continued support :)

 

"Your majesty, forgive me for saying this, but do you not think that it was a rash decision on your part when you sent your Royal courtesans away? Why must you banish them? Surely, you could have come to an agreement with them over their treatment of the prince,"Shaw said calmly, acting as the voice of reason when he arranged an audience with the king. The king sat upon his throne, his young prince sitting on the cushions at his feet, with one arm draped over Erik's thigh. The prince was wearing a flimsy gray blue robe that exposed his arm and ankle bands. Prince Charles looked on towards the Grand Chancellor with languid eyes as the king caressed the back of his head and neck, drowsily soothed by the king's warm hand touching him, the phial of blue oil twinkling and dangling at Charles' neck. Surrounding the entire room were the king's Royal guards, impassively looking on at the exchange between the king and his chancellor.

"Rash or not, my decision stands and you cannot sway me, Shaw. They have disobeyed me by disrespecting my prince and of those concubines that you think may have been unjustly treated in this entire affair, they are just as guilty as the other women for allowing the mistreatment to go on as it did. They were made privy to this sacrilege, after all. If they had any ounce of respect for my noble name, they should have reported the matter to me,"

"My king, in so doing you have lost the support of their noble families! We are in dire need of their aid in your campaign and now they-"

The king interjected, cutting him off rashly."It is quite obvious that you question my decision, but must you also question my strength? Was it you or the noble families who journeyed to the northern realms and vanquished the human oppressors? Was it you who fought alongside my royal army, suffering blood and pain yet still coming away victorious? Tell me, do you know of any nobles who have reached the same success as I have? My hands have known blood, have cut down the life of many a foe and yet you stand before me, doubting my capabilities!"

King Erik looked with displeasure at his unctuous official. Ever since he was a boy, he had loathed the man. He did not know why his father had kept such a man in his royal household back then and as it stands, Chancellor Shaw's position was hanging by a thread with each act of veiled defiance. Erik had discussed this with his father once, when the noble old king had been alive and his father had taught him that Shaw was a man who needed close attention being paid to him; that he remained under the service for a reason and now, King Erik understood why. He had suspected that Shaw was up to something, but he did not let on that he knew anything. An example of this was his recent campaign to Imaya. When the Imayan kingdom had been conquered and raided, he found something of note in the Imayan armory. The weapons that they had used were made from Genoshan alloys. How they came to acquire metal from his own kingdom startled him at that time. He knew where the metal came from the moment he touched it, for who else would understand the nature of metal if not a metal bender such as himself? His kingdom had a tight hold over the monopoly of these alloys and their distribution was controlled.

He did not have any proof of it yet but he was wise to the fact that Shaw had something to do with it. He took action by preventing Shaw from joining in his Strategy meetings. He knew Shaw had planted spies in his own household and this was the reason he kept Jean Grey with him at all times. Nothing could evade her telepathy. Suspiciously, Shaw stayed away from her, using her gender as an excuse for not attending meetings whenever he caught wind of her presence. Jean had attempted to penetrate Shaw's thoughts before, but was thwarted by an unknown force emanating from the grand chancellor. King Erik suspected he was using a contraption that blocked telepathy, all the more reason to doubt Shaw's allegiances.

"Sire, I do not question your strength! Merely, I am concerned for the welfare of the kingdom. If there is dissension under your rule, this may leave us at a disadvantage! The other kingdoms will see this as a sign of weakness, a crumbling of the monarchy you have established! Take heed, my lord! By the morrow, there will be rioting at your gates and chaos will ensue within the walls of Genosha!"

"Your concern, as you so put it, is much appreciated, Grand Chancellor Shaw. But do remember, I am the king of Genosha and the power of my kingdom runs deep within my veins. If my own people should come forward and exercise their need to judge me for my just and noble actions, then I must come to the conclusion that their fealty is all but a sham!"The king said this in a biting tone, the unmistakable sarcasm not lost to Shaw.

Shaw bowed his head low, deciding not to pursue this any further. "You must know my lord, my actions are borne of my good intentions and I have been under your family's service for a long time. I've known you since you were but a babe in your mother's arms and I wish no harm to come upon you,"Shaw said this with such sickening insincerity that the king had to snort at it, stifling the need to guffaw with uproarious laughter.

The king finally waved a hand his way, excusing him and Shaw retreated from the room. King Erik turned his attention to the prince. He reached for his young prince's chin so that the other may look up at him directly.

"Do not be swayed by his words, my prince. While it is true that this may ruffle some noble feathers, you must believe in my ability to handle this for you."

Prince Charles reached up to hold Erik's hand in his, kissing his palm affectionately."My lord, I place all my faith in your hands, along with my heart."

King Erik held the tender blue eyes that gazed up at him and he was enthralled once more by the calm that the other brought him. He bent down so he could kiss his prince passionately, quietly overjoyed that Charles was the one he had married.

Chancellor Shaw walked briskly down the castle halls, a dour expression upon his face and an angry seething within his chest. Now that the king had banished the concubines, this lessened his ability to spy upon the king, for he had indeed set his own spies among the king's courtesans. He employed several of them to ply the king with seemingly glib conversation, but the king did not know that some of these women were hanging on to his arms and his every word with the intent of acquiring information for Shaw. No matter. There was still a way to use this situation to his advantage. He would use his influence over the nobles and provoke them into a state of anarchy outside the king's castle, claiming unjust treatment. He smiled snidely to himself.

He could at least stir in some more murk in this pot and see where things would go. Shaw adjusted the diamond encrusted pins at his shoulders and looked about, hoping he would not encounter King Erik's adviser. The pins were actually a special device meant to deter telepathic powers. They had worked for the likes of Tessa, one of his concubine spies with weak telepathic-telekinetic abilities, but he was concerned that Lady Grey's powers were far too strong for the pins to work. Hence, the reason he avoided her at all cost. He would have to devise other means to block her powers. He had wanted to have her assassinated, but if he did such a thing, he might expose himself to the king. Better to move carefully lest he be discovered for his true motives.

 

A pale, hooded being sauntered amongst the shrubbery with care, feet gracefully stepping upon the grass. A dark blue robe hung past the forehead of this individual, concealing the nervous countenance beneath and then the individual lifted the hood part of the way to reveal the face of a woman. She looked about cautiously, right outside the walls of the castle and waited. The wait had seemed like an eternity to her but then she heard footsteps approaching and she stiffened. She waited for the other to emerge from the passageway and when she recognized the figure, she reacted with shrewish anger.

"What took you so long? I've been standing here for almost-"The hooded woman cried out petulantly and Shaw grabbed at her neck to shut her up.

"Quiet, you stupid whore! Had you not persisted with your childish hectoring of the prince, you would still have your comfy position in the castle! I had to take my time coming here because the king doubled the security around himself!" Shaw hissed into her face, pushing the woman away.

The woman nearly stumbled, but was able to stop herself from falling. She glared up at him, pulling her own hood away. It was Tessa. They had met covertly in the king's outer garden, close to one of the secret passageways that had been used by the former king.

"We didn't think he would tattle on us!"She spoke with an injured voice, looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"For someone with mental powers, you don't think much, do you?" Shaw said bitingly, returning her sharp gaze, causing her to avert her eyes. Shaw snorted at her stupidity and continued.

"Have you done as I had asked? Did you meet up with the other concubines to rouse their families and raise a mass protest before the king? I take it this is an easy enough task for you to accomplish?"

"Yes,"Tessa said dully.

Shaw reached out and grabbed her face so that he could draw her close to himself."Look at you! You've reduced yourself to a lowly street whore. What manner of man would care to marry you, now that the king has had his fill of using you?"

Tessa did not say anything, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. What Shaw had said was true. No man would see her as one fit for marriage, unless that man would be a foreigner, with no knowledge of her former occupation. Shaw stared at her face long and hard and then he slowly caressed her cheek, making her look up at him quickly. She was an exquisitely beautiful woman, with her long and flowing wavy black hair and icy blue eyes. Shaw could not for the life of him understand why the king did not marry her instead. He had seen the prince up close and he did not find anything beguiling about the young man other than his beautiful blue eyes that shone with their own blue light. Tessa's eyes were inferior compared to the prince's eyes, but the prince was no beauty in his estimation.

"Perhaps you would like a position better than a common concubine. I direly need someone to rule by my side once I have established my own kingdom. You know very well that a king would be better off ruling with a princess consort of superior noble blood than with a useless human prince. I happen to think that King Erik has such poor tastes in bed partners, to overlook such an exquisite creature like you,"Shaw said throatily.

Tessa was appeased by Shaw's honeyed words that she actually smiled. Shaw bent close to kiss her lips roughly and she allowed herself to be kissed. Shaw pulled away, darting a quick look about and then he led her towards a thick copse of trees. He tore at her clothes and had her bending forward upon a low branch so that he could take her from behind. He took her forcefully, causing her to moan in pain at first at the sudden violation, but she managed to find pleasure in being taken by Shaw, her burning sex flowing with her juices. Shaw grabbed hard at both of her naked breasts, his hands rough and causing her pain. Shaw was pleased that he could have his way with the king's former concubine. It did not matter to Tessa that Shaw used her, as long as he was a man rising to power and that he would give her a means to elevate her status.

After having taken her, he dismissed her callously, telling her he would arrange a meeting between them again. He went back into his office, confident that his careful planning would eventually bear fruit.

Shaw had arranged it so that there would be no surveillance installed in his office. He took out the item he had in his possession with no fear, the one he sent his own minions to search for when the king went on his short trip to Imaya along with his prince. He hid this in a secret compartment under the floor, located beneath his chair. He took it out, his eyes shining with malevolent pleasure at the sight of the glowing relic within the metal box. It threw a sickly, greenish light over his face and he chuckled to himself. With this raw power in his hands, he knew he could bring the king down effortlessly, the other's boasts of strength and his powers over metal would be paltry in comparison to Shaw's own skill once he has unleashed it. Both the king and his father were such imbeciles. He could almost taste the tantalizing promise of immense power; he could see himself ruling over all of humanity and the other superhumans.

He had big plans of building an empire all for himself, with the intent to enslave all beings and persecute any superhuman who would dare to side with the human race. He wanted nothing but absolute dominion and to overtake the Genoshan kingdom for his own.

 _I must do all of this carefully. The king is not as invincible as he thinks he is. Just one slip-up, one blunder and then I shall pounce!_ Shaw thought to himself, uttering a low laugh. With much reluctance, he threw the lid close over his secret weapon. He had to finish up the tiresome scroll work for the king and then retire to bed shortly, languorous after possessing Tessa and pleased with how things were developing.

 

King Erik stood in one of the large balconies of his castle, watching the rioting nobles down below, before the gates of his castle. He looked on, unconcerned, heedless of the fact that these very nobles once sang praises in his name and now they shouted curses up at him. The prince stood by his side, troubled, brow furrowed at the hatred being thrown at his king, all because of him.

There were so many of them, shaking their fists up at the king's royal abode, clamoring resentfully and slapping at the gate's rails like feral apes, kept at bay by the king's Imperial army surrounding the front of the gate, ready to fight back and defend their sovereign. The king noticed his young prince's unease and he reached out, touching Charles' shoulder. The other looked up at him worriedly.

"Let them hate...let them rage. They have no power over us, my prince. Like I have told you, I shall handle this matter,"

"Forgive me, my lord. I just cannot bear to see them hating you!" The king smiled at him gently and kissed his brow.

"I will have a word with the nobles,"

The prince reached out to grasp at the king's robes, frightened by what the king might do to his vassals."Please, do not kill any of them! I beseech you!"

King Erik chuckled, hugging the prince to himself."Why all this worrying? I assure you, no blood shall be spilled!"

Charles nodded slowly, turning away from the sight of the rioting nobles, and looking only up at his king, finally giving him a faint smile."What do you plan on doing then, my king?"

"As I have told you, I only wish to have a word with them,"The king said evasively, leading the prince away from the balcony.

They walked down the castle halls, side by side, with the king holding the prince's wrist lightly.

"How goes your studies with your instructor, my prince?"The king said conversationally, intending to turn the prince's mind away from the rioting outside.

Charles released himself from the king's grasp and placed his hands behind his back, one eyebrow arching upwards, as if contemplating over his lessons.

"I have learned much from Chancellor Drake. Not only has he taught me the necessities of social etiquette and royal deportment, he has given me the means to address long-winded pompous discussions, for this appears to be how the nobility conversed with each other,"

The young prince slyly looked over at the king, smiling in a beguiling manner, blue eyes gleaming with merriment. The king had to laugh because this was indeed how the nobles talked, so full of themselves that they thought the words rolling out of their mouths were meant for monologues.

"Then I take it that should you find yourself before such a loquacious noble, you have the means to carry yourself and bear with the insufferable snob?"

"No, my lord, I have learned of a means to evade it."The prince said in a throaty voice, giving the king a naughty smile.

"And what, pray tell was this solution you devised upon?"

"I shall simply lean in close, excusing myself with discretion and inform the poor gentleman that he has something stuck between his teeth and that he best leave off to remove the offending particle,"The prince said impishly, eyes growing crafty and innocent at the same time that it sent the king into a state of uncontrollable laughter.

When he recovered himself, he wiped at his eyes, still chuckling. "Why have I not thought of such an idea before? That is just brilliant!"

The prince smiled back, looking quite pleased with himself, happy to see the king smiling even in the midst of a troubling situation.

He suddenly started in shock when the king placed a hand at his backside and squeezed at it possessively, causing the prince to blush because the guards surrounding the castle halls must have seen them as well as the maidservants walking about. Charles turned to look up at the king apprehensively.

"My lord?"

The king leaned in close and spoke in a guttural tone in his ear."I've been trying to control myself, my prince. I wish to take you to bed and ravage you repeatedly, but I know, your body cannot bear with it. We must find a means to build your endurance now that we have improved your social graces,"

Charles blushed even deeper. He and the king frequently coupled, but lately, the king has been tempering the frequency of his 'attacks'. Due to his heritage, the prince could not match the king's libido and so the other treated him with kid gloves. There was also the matter of...children. They were both men, which of course prevented the prince from bearing the king any heirs. They had talked about this once and the king had assured him that when the time was right, they would have children of their own. The prince was curious to know how this would come about, but the king just smiled at him mysteriously and said nothing more. King Erik reached for his hand again and led him into his own bed chamber, caressing him and kissing him senseless.

When Erik was sure that Charles was asleep, he left his prince so that he could arrange a meeting with the nobles, with the help of Lady Grey and the other chancellors. The meeting was to take place immediately in the king's reception hall. Grand Chancellor Shaw was in absence, as was expected. The king faced all of the nobles to discuss why the concubines were evicted from the castle. He actually asked that the concubines should be in attendance along with their families. Even though they were made privy to what really happened after the king had given his explanation over the matter, the nobles still felt cheated somehow. One of them spoke on behalf of the others.

"I have offered up my own daughter to be your courtesan, in the hopes that this would give her the comfort and pampering she deserves. I extend my apologies to you, my lord, over how my daughter behaved towards the prince, but what of my daughter? She cannot marry anyone in Genosha, for the town's people are aware of her previous position in your kingdom!"

The other nobles spoke up in much the same manner, advising the king that recompense was not enough to bring back the honor they have lost. Murmurs of protests arose from them that the king called for order and spoke loudly for all to hear.

"You all know that your daughters have come away from this situation, nearly unscathed. I could have had them executed for the disrespect they have shown me, but because of my young prince's mercy, they have been spared!"

Silence fell among the nobles. They looked around at each other uneasily. The former concubines trembled in fear, heads bowed low, unable to meet the king's penetrating gaze. The king did have the power to execute and kill all of them if he wanted to and yet he treated them with his noble gentility. Now that the king had their undivided attention, he continued.

"Concerning the matter of your noble daughters marrying suitable husbands, I have found the means to deal with this dilemma. You are all aware that I have conquered many kingdoms and in my campaign into these realms, I have noticed that there are young noblemen in need of good wives in these kingdoms. If your lovely daughters are willing, I shall arrange an introduction for all of them,"

Another nobleman wanted to speak his piece, lifting a hand up in the air, his expression flat. The king noticed the haughtiness in the way the man carried himself, but he nodded towards the man politely to address his concern.

"Your majesty, may I ask if these noblemen are of human heritage?" King Erik narrowed his eyes at the man, displeased with the idea that the question has brought forth.

"Yes, some of them are. What does it matter what their race is? Their blood is as noble as your blood. I married a human prince and it would set a good example if you allowed your daughters to meet with these men. If you would only see the reason in my suggestion and not think in terms of superiority, you will see that this will serve to benefit us all!" The king stared at all of them, his gaze commanding and full of his self-assurance.

"I have offered you all a happy medium. Your daughters have been wonderful and charming women and they have served me well but I cannot tolerate discourtesy. Please, do consider my proposal and I hope we do not drag this matter any further. If you still feel cheated, then there is nothing to be done about it. Just be glad that you have come away with your heads still intact," King Erik said mildly.

"What's to prevent us from tearing you apart, King Erik? You have no guards in this room. You only have your former Eunuch and your telepath with you!"One of them cried out arrogantly, daring to challenge the king.

There were many of them in the room and with their combined powers, the man thought they could overcome their monarch to avenge themselves. King Erik smiled at the insolent nobleman. The man was Callie's father. Like father, like daughter, Erik thought maliciously and instead of answering, Erik turned his eyes upwards, lazily putting his hands behind his head.

"What indeed? What could be stopping you? Allow me to give you a warning though, my dear fellow. My telepath has already informed me of your intention, even before you announced it and my Eunuch has put a shield over me and my adviser. You cannot harm any of us. Be careful of your next words, Sir. It might very well be your last!"

The man noticed something odd in the reaction of the other noblemen and the women. They were all looking up above, their eyes wide and frightened. The man finally looked up and he saw millions of sharp blades...knives, spears and swords pointing towards all of them. He did not even sense their presence. The man grew pale, realizing his error. He swallowed thickly, reaching for his daughter's shoulder, now turning imploring eyes towards the king.

"Who do you think can move faster, you or those blades? Do you wish to give it a try?"The king taunted the man coldly, his eyes blazing out in his anger. Lady Grey and Unus remained seated, calmly looking on at the tension and the terror rising from the nobles.

"You dared to be impertinent towards me, Sir. I should kill you from whence you stand! It is no wonder your daughter is lacking in manners, she acquired this trait from you!"King Erik spat out.

"Spare me, my king!"The man cried out tightly. King Erik drew down one finger and quick as a wink, a knife came swooping forward, stopping mere inches from the man's eyeball, the tip of the knife close enough so that it was the only thing that filled the man's vision. The man drew in a quickening breath, trembling and sweating, staring down at the knife hovering in mid-air before his face, the weapon ready to stab him through.

"Please, Sire! Please don't hurt my father!"Callie sobbed, hugging her father. The other nobles were growing hysterical, fearing for their lives. They knew what their king was capable of but to actually see the threat of violence he could unleash upon them was enough to send them into a state of utter terror. King Erik looked on impassively and then with a short sweep of his hand, he called the knife away, yet the numerous blades still hung over the noble congregation.

"Lady Callie does have manners, after all. Very well, as you have asked for me not to harm your father, I will grant your request. Now, be gone from my sight, all of you! I have stated my piece! My Royal scribes will send forth letters of invitation to your homes for the arrangement I have set before you. I want no more of this and should you dare to riot in my streets again like common rustics, I will cut you down and bathe my streets with your blood!"The king cried out ominously.

He lifted a weary hand, waving them away. At first, the nobles stood there, blinking and stupefied and then they slowly made their way towards the main door, their faces gray and their brows dappled with cold sweat. They had narrowly escaped being massacred single-handedly by the king.

After they had left, Lady Grey turned to face the king."My lord, I don't think matters will end here, just like that-"

King Erik snorted. "Of course it wouldn't! I will have these people monitored! They are far worse than street ruffians, thinking they could take me on! I've more important matters to attend to than to deal with this lot! If not for the prince's request, I would have them all torn to pieces!"

"Please, Sire! Let us not be hasty!"Lady Grey said uncomfortably, sickened by the thought of such violence that King Erik chuckled at it. The king turned towards Unus, the other now acquiring a new position under the king as being part of his Royal Guards.

"Take this matter up with the head of the Royal Guards, Unus. Tell Cyclops to send a surveillance troop to eavesdrop on these nobles. Any information on artifice or treachery, I want to know it. If they so much as spread rumors of rebellion or even form any ideas of a revolution, I want that information, firsthand!"

"Yes, my liege!"Unus bowed low before the king and rushed off with this information.

Both the king and Lady Grey headed off to the chancery to attend to their stately duties. Prince Charles meanwhile, slept on, dreaming troubled dreams and restlessly stirring, naked beneath the sheets.

 

"So, this is your sparring room! It's vast enough for you to hold a ball here, my king!"Prince Charles said as he stared up at the towering silvery ceiling, the red, marbled floors seemed to go on for miles as he looked about the cavernous length of the room.

King Erik was wearing loose black trousers while the prince was clad in sand-colored pants, both of them bare-chested. The king had taken it upon himself to train the prince in combat so that it would build the other's stamina and allow him to endure their lovemaking. Thoughts of sexual congress caused his expression to dissolve into lewd expectancy. He dreamily stared at the prince's slim but well-muscled body, admiring the shape of him as the other walked about. The prince sensed his appraisal and turned heated eyes towards him, carrying the spear that the king had given him earlier. King Erik shook off any sexual fantasies he had of the prince, intending to focus upon the task at hand.

"We shall start with basic stances using the spear and then-"Erik began, but the prince interrupted him.

"I know how to use a spear, Erik. Why don't we begin so we can test each other's mettle?"The prince said, lifting an eyebrow and giving the king a knowing half-smile.

The king furrowed his brow, skeptical but somehow aware that the prince may have read about fighting stances and thinking that by doing so, he could take on his king. He spoke seriously, wanting the prince to understand that it took years of training to develop these skills. The prince may have an eidetic memory but to put this to practical use was another matter.

"Charles, we are using real weapons here. Training over a certain span of time would be needed before you can learn to wield them. I do not wish any harm to come upon you so we must be careful when-"

Charles surprised him when he launched the spear at the king, the other swerving to avoid it. He looked over at the prince, incredulous over his audacity. The other smiled at him insolently, unafraid.

"Do you think that just because you bed with me that I am incapable of fighting? I'm much more than what you think of me, my king. Much more!"

King Erik managed to return a leering grin at him, nodding slowly."We shall see then!" It was the king's turn to launch an attack as he moved forward and swiped the spear at Charles. Charles easily avoided it. Their weapons clashed smartly against each other as they assumed both defensive moves. Charles was actually more on the offense as he jabbed the weapon forward and moved about with such strange speed. King Erik frowned at it. Why, he almost suspected that Charles had wanted to deal him a genuine killing blow! He decided to change his tactics and moved backwards quickly, holding the spear before himself and smiling mischievously.

"Is it going to be a no holds barred situation, Charles?"

"It is. If you like, you can use your powers, my king!"

"Ah, if I did that, you'd be dead in an instant, my prince. But, let us make it somewhat interesting, shall we?"

Charles chuckled at him, spinning the spear expertly in his hand and it whooshed through the air as he settled in a defensive stance, his spear held out behind him and one arm lifted up to block any blows."Do it then!"

King Erik smiled and using his powers over metal, he took control of the metal armors in the sparring room. Charles curiously narrowed his eyes at this phenomenon, watching the metal armors trembling in their stands. the king changed the nature of some metal poles by turning them into thin wires, similar to vines. Using the metallic vines to infest the inner portion of the armors, the vines moved, snake-like towards the exposed portion of the armors, controlling them like puppets. Charles stared on curiously as the 'metal' soldiers moved forward, carrying spears and swords. The 'soldiers' were surrounding him now. He looked about alertly, holding his position. The metal soldiers came at him and then he did something amazing, surprising Erik once more. He dropped his weapon and he moved with preternatural speed as he punched out and kicked at the metal soldiers. Erik recalled this fighting style. This was how Queen Raven had fought with him when he had been a young boy and now Charles, a mere human used the same skill with ease. The speed of his movements took Erik aback because no human could move like this. It was unheard of. When Charles had brought down the last soldier, taking the spear it was holding and smartly spinning it in his own hand, he faced his king, smiling wickedly, reduced to labored breathing.

"Don't hold back on me, my king! Stop trying to coddle me! Are you such a coward that you won't even fight me with your own power? Come at me and-"Charles taunted audaciously that Erik had to chuckle at it and cut Charles down to show him that he had the upper hand all along. Charles was not able to finish what he had to say because the metal vines snaked out of the soldiers and grabbed the prince by the ankle. Erik swept him upwards so that he hung by one leg up in the air, squirming and screaming.

"What a fearless, adorable young man you are, my prince, thinking you can take me on! You are fast that is true, but you have no idea how extensive my knowledge is over my own powers. I could have hurt you but I refuse to deal you any pain."

"Please, my king, put me down!"The prince cried out fearfully, his face red with his humiliation. Erik immediately obliged, holding his arms out so that the metal vines would gently place the prince in his arms but the moment Charles was in his clutches, Charles punched the side of his face, causing him to topple backwards. Charles straddled him, pointing a knife at his throat. The fear and humiliation he showed Erik were all but a ploy to draw in at close range. Charles laughed gaily as he looked down at Erik's bewildered expression, passing the knife gently over his husband's skin. Erik had no less felt the sharpness of the weapon's edge. He smiled up at Charles as the other kept smiling down at him in a naughty manner.

"Kinky! Metal involved in foreplay? I suppose if you are into that, I must oblige you!"

Charles slowly trailed the knife down to the Erik's nipple, slowly circling it over the king's flesh, his expression growing sexually playful.

"We could do that every now and then. Maybe I will even let you tie me up in chains,"Charles said throatily and then it was his turn to be startled when chains did surround his wrists and his ankles, clinking against the golden bands he wore at his ankles. The chains rashly drew him away and forced him down on to the floor, spreading his legs open and causing him to drop his weapon. Then Erik was upon him, caressing Charles' muscled torso. He swooped forward and hungrily kissed Charles upon the lips, his tongue diving in between the red lips that parted in surrender, allowing him entry. Charles moaned into the kiss while Erik began to grind his hips seductively against the other, feeling the prince's erection. Both of them were aroused by the tension caused by their fighting. Charles moaned and bucked up, denied the right to touch the king. He nuzzled his face up against Erik instead, biting down on Erik's lower lip and meeting the other's burning gaze. King Erik finally released the chains and they rolled upon the floor kissing and fondling each other restlessly. They ended up naked and because Charles did not have the phial with him, the king used the fluids from their own bodies so that he may enter the prince's backside and not cause him any pain. He used his own saliva and Charles' semen, for there was a copious amount of it and their bodies writhed against each other, aching to be one. After they were done making love, they parted, facing each other and gasping breathlessly, smiling languidly at each other.

"That fighting style you used just now, will you teach me how to do it?"Erik rasped out, caressing Charles' sweaty cheek and the other nodded minutely, reaching out to touch Erik's chest.

"Of course, my king!"

"How did you learn to fight like that? I thought-"

"I trained with my sister when I was young, but I was too hesitant to use it. I continued my training with Logan and Henry in the forbidden valley until adulthood. You must be wondering, how a human prince can fight using Shi'ar's unarmed combat system. I suppose my eidetic memory has something to do with it,"

Erik nodded slowly in understanding, still amazed that Charles was a man full of mysteries. He was a most curious man indeed.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll see a line from DOFP in here but I changed it up a bit. Please enjoy my offering and thanks to everyone who like my fics <3

 

He was not an invincible god, the king realized this the moment he was ambushed. His existence was as fragile as the gossamer threads of a spider's web that absorbed the pale gray light of the day. He would not have thought of this comparison afterwards, had he not recalled that the web caught his attention while he was taken unawares. The web fluttered slightly upon a gust of wind; it held fast on to a thin branch, sticking out from the top of a tree, his feet mere inches from it as he hovered in mid-air. He stared at it a while longer and then he directed his focus on to something else. He was fighting another war along with his army in the forests of Hyboria, levitating over the treetops, sniffing the enemy out, the explosions bursting forth all around him did not even make him flinch.

The Hyborian army used the forest to their advantage, having an understanding of the terrain, they stealthily attacked the Genoshan troops, but king Erik easily spotted them from his vantage point. Using hand signals, he directed his men on how to approach the enemy, drawing an equal ground for battle. Interspersed here and there, his soldiers skirmished with the Hyborian soldiers, the sound of clashing blades and laser beams a familiar sound to him, as well as the sight of the corpses that littered the ground. He suddenly snapped to attention and moved away from the warring soldiers.

He sensed something in the air and then he narrowed his eyes at the dark shadows in between the branches of the thick trees, the smoke rising from the fighting down below lending a hazy sheen over the scenery. He left his prince consort back home so that he could oversee the new campaign to colonize this part of the southern realms and he had been away from Genosha for almost six months now. Six damnably long months were enough to cause an aching yearning within his chest. He missed Charles so deeply that  it felt as if every waking moment was incomplete when he could not kiss his lips or touch his face. Thoughts of the prince distracted him so he did not sense the cranking of some machinery beneath him. Perhaps it was because the machinery was not made of metal, preventing him from establishing its intention. By the time he determined its true purpose, he was already too late.

Dark forces had been at work to cause this predicament to come about. Three months prior to the king's campaign, his war tactics had been leaked to his enemies and they had prepared for his coming. The information of course, came from Shaw's spies. Shaw had sold them this information, personally meeting with the envoys of the Hyborian kingdom at some appointed meeting place, far from Genosha. Dressed in his dark garb and black hooded cape, Shaw met with the men in the course of one afternoon, while King Erik fought on against Hyboria's army, the king pitting his own Imperial army and advancing further into the southern part of the realm, claiming much of the land and successfully driving the enemy into the Hyborian forest.

Shaw met with the men in secret in an old storehouse of an abandoned farm, accepting the proffered jewels as payment and putting them into the pockets of his cloak. The men from Hyboria wore rugged dark green garments, their heads clean-shaven and a mystic symbol tattooed upon the middle of their foreheads. They sat conspiratorially close at a round table.

"Let's get down to business, shall we? I've brought plans of the king's strategies. In addition to this, I am giving you information on where he plans to strike next. It is written here, in these documents."Shaw said, sliding the documents across the table and grinning malevolently.

The men perused the documents and found them valid. They were initially mistrustful, one of them even responding with suspicion."This information is indeed vital to us, but why are you helping Hyboria? You are a mutant like him!" The Grand Chancellor nodded slowly in agreement, acknowledging that what he was doing was indeed traitorous to his own race. The animosity between their races had begun even before the great war that started in King Jakob's time.

Shaw smiled benignly, pretending to be sympathetic to their cause."Like you, I have had enough of his idiotic campaign for unification. It is clear he is only doing these things to take control of the entire planet for his own selfish reasons! I want to put an end to his megalomania, once and for all!" Shaw lied through his teeth, for his intention was to do the same, the only difference was that he intended to enslave all humans and superhumans under his rule, unlike King Erik's benevolent plans of a thriving, united empire. Shaw leaned in close, trying to appear grave.

"Assist me in bringing the mutant king down. I know Hyboria to be a powerful kingdom, a worthy opponent. You are the only one who can stop him! If you kill him in battle, not only will you be known far and wide as the driving force to defeat this tyrant, you will cause his entire empire to fall apart. There will be chaos in Genosha, his human slaves will rouse themselves into a state of revolution and this will bring an end to these wars!"Shaw said with feeling, hoping that his words would incite these human fools to take action. Hyborians were known for their advanced technology coupled with the mystic powers of nature. If there was anyone capable of dealing any damage to the king, it would be the Hyborian race.

"I've given you knowledge of his movements. The rest is up to you."

The humans were of course, swayed by Shaw's seductive words. They did not know that King Erik justly treated his human vassals. King Erik was only known as a relentless conqueror, even outside the known territories and if Hyboria would be the one to take him down, their country would be hailed the most powerful in the known realms. The men looked at each other, deep in thought and contemplating the possibilities of this undertaking and Shaw smiled to himself knowingly. He would have his way after all.

 _Ah! Everything is falling into place. Your empire will soon fall, Lehnsherr and my time will finally come._ Shaw thought smugly.

Armed with the knowledge of the Genoshan people's military strategy, Hyboria made it difficult for King Erik's army to break through the line. They feigned their retreat into the forest, intending to use the trap they had set up for the king. They had developed a contraption capable of dealing an attack that the king could not deflect, for it was not made of metal at all, but of a special component similar to metal and wood. The Hyborian men hid between the bushes, lying in wait as the king hovered over the trees, the rest of the Hyborian army fighting the king's men to distract them.

The king's unease did not prevent him from continuing with his pursuit of the Hyborian soldiers, who concealed themselves expertly. He remained in place, confident that his powers would protect him. Then, he heard the projectiles even before he saw them, the long metal spears cutting through the air with their lethal intent. They were heading straight his way and he deflected them with a wave of his hand. The enemy had done this deliberately to pull the wool over his eyes. A smaller spear was sent next, its speed great and he attempted to wave it off with one hand, only to realize at the last moment that it was not made of metal at all. The weapon pierced his side, the pointed end exiting from his back and sending a spray of blood behind him; the blood instantly soaked his flowing red cape. Blood spurted from his mouth along with a choked yell. He had been stabbed before, but this was different. This was a grievous wounding. His life flashed before his eyes quickly and then he came to the realization that he was about to die.

_Somewhere in the Genoshan castle's numerous chambers, the king's prince consort had a nightmare about him and in the moment that the king was struck, Charles felt as if he had been stabbed too...as if he was in the battlefield with his king and he felt the pain that the king suffered. He sprang upright, gasping, blue eyes wide and full of fear."Erik!"Charles screamed, immediately snapping awake. His breathless gasps decayed into sobs. His agitation had awakened Lady Grey and she rushed out to console him._

Banshee and Cyclops heard the king's cry. They watched in horror as their king came falling from the skies, his cape wrapping itself about him and madly fluttering in the wind. With a muted thud, he fell into the forest. Cyclops took immediate action. He looked around quickly and saw Unus shielding their human soldiers in the battlefield. He grabbed the man's shoulder and Unus noted the urgency in his expression. Unus failed to see the horrific sight of their king being struck, the other had already plummeted down on to the ground somewhere in the forest. The Genoshan soldiers were too distracted that they also did not see the attack. Unus followed Cyclops without questioning him any further and they hurried to the spot where the king fell, taking Banshee along with them. The king fell on top of some bushes, which cushioned his fall, but he was mortally wounded. The king weakly lifted his head towards them, barely conscious.

"King Erik!"Cyclops cried out, his voice shaking. They were about to reach him when some Hyborian soldiers came crashing through the underbrush at the same time that they arrived, the enemy soldiers intending to finish the king off. Cyclops and Banshee fought with these men, with Cyclops obliterating them, using the red beams coming from his eyes. He was in a rage over the underhanded attack against his king. Banshee used his skills to incapacitate the soldiers while Unus disarmed them, locking them in his invisible cages without their weapons. Cyclops did not dare move the king just yet. He ordered Unus to put a cloaking shield over them and Unus did so, preventing the enemy from finding them. Cyclops knelt close to his king and gently touched his sovereign's arm.

"My king, please!"

King Erik drew in sharp gasps of pain as he forced his eyes to open, looking up at his Royal guards. He was relieved that these men were genuinely loyal to him. His face was already drained of all color, his pale forehead dappled with sweat. Shivering and fighting off the lull of death that settled over his eyes, he tried to utter what he thought were his final words.

"Bring...my prince...to me-"King Erik said haltingly, his face twisted in his pain.

"Please, my king! Hold still! I will cauterize the wound! This will stop the bleeding, but please hold on! Do not leave us!"Cyclops cried out tightly and although no one could see his eyes behind the visors, he cried tears of rage and frustration over what had been done to his king. _Sneaky Hyborian bastards!_

Cyclops adjusted his visor to concentrate the flow of the beam from his eyes. Banshee removed the king's armor and carefully pulled apart their ruler's blood-soaked clothing so that they could attend to his wound. It was a fatal wound and Cyclops was not sure if cauterizing would do any good. The king had lost so much blood already and there might be some internal damage that could worsen the king's condition if he closed the wound off. He would have to gamble it for now. He hoped there were just few of their men who saw the incident. If they found out that the king was injured and possibly dying, this might damage their morale and cause dissension among the troops. The king knew what he was thinking and nodded imperceptibly, a silent understanding passing between them. Drawing in a bracing breath, the king struggled to control the trembling within his limbs. He grew still, waiting for Cyclops to cauterize the wound.

The moment the burning blast of Cyclops' beams seared his flesh, the king felt an unbearable pain, the likes of which he had never felt before. He wanted to scream out loud, but he stifled himself, not wanting to give away their position. He bit down on his screams, sweat dripping from him in rivulets, his hands balled into tight fists and his face crumpled up in his agony. Unus had his back to them, concentrating on the camouflage shield he had thrown over them all. The enemy circled around them, not even sensing their presence as they tried to look for the king to finish dispatching him. Banshee held the king down. He knelt close to the king's head to keep him from thrashing about. Once the wound was closed off, the king lost consciousness for a moment and his Royal guards waited patiently, hearing the clashing and fighting in the distance as their men fought on. They were able to elude the Hyborian soldiers, for Unus used his illusion skills, making their position appear like a thick tree. The king gained consciousness again after several minutes, gasping and moaning in pain.

"King Erik! Thank be the gods you are alive!"Cyclops cried out in a trembling voice, reaching for the king's hand and holding it in his own.

"It will take more than that to...to kill me-"King Erik stuttered, trying to speak in a cocky manner and managing a small, pained smile.

"My liege, please command us! We know that the men must not see you in this condition. Should we take you from this place?"Cyclops asked, hoping the king would tell them that they must abscond with him in secret. Cyclops was concerned that the king's condition might worsen.

King Erik shook his head slowly, taking his time to speak and allowing himself to catch his breath."No. I must fight on. If they all see me gone from the battlefield, this will not only arouse the suspicion of the enemy, but also of Shaw's spies. They might use this as a means to instigate rebellion in Genosha!"

"But my king! You are gravely injured! We must take you to an aid station to be treated!"Cyclops cried out in dismay. The king shook his head in refusal. He slowly sat up, wincing and groaning softly, pouring every ounce of his willpower into his limbs, forcing himself to move. Cyclops and the rest knew that the king was right. They could only stare at their king as the other struggled to fight the terrible pain he was feeling.

"Banshee, make sure no one sees you. Retrieve my spare armor and a fresh set of garments. I will not let any of them see me in this state."King Erik said in a soft voice. Banshee left the shield to do as he was told, racing through the forest. The last of the light had already fallen from the horizon and the fighting went on deep into the night. Banshee returned moments later carrying the king's clothing in a sack and using a wet washcloth, he helped the king wipe the blood away from his body. The king donned the garments that Banshee brought him. He moved gingerly and winced in pain, every movement sending a stinging and burning stitch in his side. He kept wiping at the sweat upon his forehead. Then, he put on his armor and helmet last. When the king was sure he looked presentable, he asked Unus to bring the shield down. He used his powers to levitate over the ground and floated up in the air once more. His men could only regard him helplessly, hoping that their king will make it through this night. The king lifted his head, seeing something in the distance.

"These Hyborians are bringing forth large automatons, Cyclops. Get the men ready. Unus, establish a protective shield in the front of the line to protect our men. Banshee, relay this information to our men scattered in the forest. Tell them to bring all our metal supplies out in the open. It seems I have my work cut out for me,"  
  
Cyclops' expression fell. The king was in no condition to fight. He was obviously in terrible pain. He wanted to tell the king to stop, wanting to implore him to retreat and fight another day, but knowing the king, he would refuse to back away or show any weakness. Cyclops did as he was told, quietly reluctant, but following the orders nonetheless. King Erik called out to him once more.  
  
"And Cyclops. Find a way to bring my prince to me."

Cyclops, gnashed his teeth together. He thought the king had just said those words earlier because he was delirious with pain, but he actually wanted the prince out there on the battlefield to be with him. Cyclops faced him and bowed his head low, putting a hand to his left chest. If the king wishes it, he must comply. He accomplished his tasks first before ordering one soldier to send swift news via airship to Genosha. He ordered the soldier to return with the prince in tow and that he must not fail. The soldier grimly obliged and took one of the airships stealthily as his comrades continued to battle the Hyborians.

All of a sudden, they felt a different kind of juddering upon the ground. They held their positions, waiting for the enemy to arrive. King Erik had warned them of what he had seen and Cyclops and the men braced themselves for the onslaught. There was an ominous quality to that strange vibration of the earth beneath their feet. The sound stopped, then started again, like the lumbering footsteps of a giant. The men tensely looked about at each other and cocked their weapons, aiming in the direction that the king had pointed to. The quaking of the ground grew steady and continuous, causing their hearts to quicken in time to its frightening approach. The trees crashed and the earth beneath them shuddered as if with an earthquake.

"We are all going to die!"One of the soldiers bleated out, but his cowardice did not cause him to break from his position. It was the same for all the men, their eyes going to their king instead to draw courage as the other hovered over them all, his arms held out before him. The king looked extremely pale, seeming to sway slightly in the air and there was a brief moment that Cyclops thought the king was about to fall, but then the king closed his eyes and concentrated upon the metal that was gathered all about him and he was forming them into vines, doing so with unbelievable speed. He recalled the fighting technique he used when he had been training with the prince and he used it so he could turn the metal all about him into 'puppet strings'.

The large automatons called Sentinels were finally upon them, smashing everything in sight and using the laser beams shooting from their artificial eyes to blow the men apart, the air rent with the Genoshan soldier's screams and the sounds of carnage. King Erik desperately looked up, still pouring all of his powers into controlling his metal vines, the veins in his neck and his temples angrily standing out and pulsing with his exertions. He stiffly held his gloved hands out, allowing the vines to snake up into the internal machinery of the automatons. There were perhaps ten automatons and the king did his utmost to take control of these mechanical monsters. They were not made of metal, but of special polymers and materials that King Erik could not control. Hence, his use of the metal vines. His men shot at the automatons to no avail, but they kept at it, trying to find any weak point. They held their positions at Cyclops' command. Banshee thought that this would be the one battle that Genosha would lose and then King Erik finally came through. His 'vines' had taken root within the automatons and he now controlled them. The Hyborian soldiers that remotely controlled the Sentinels could not override King Erik's power. Just when they thought they had the upper hand, the king had somehow foiled their plans.

The Genoshan soldiers now shouted out words of awe and happiness, clapping each other's backs and looking on as the king controlled the automatons, making them go back the way they came and smashing the forts and the revetments of their enemies. King Erik advanced along with his army, with the help of the Sentinels. Their advance into the enemy line grew expeditious as they shot down any Hyborian who stood in their way, the Sentinels clearing the way for them. King Erik struggled, but he did not let on that his strength was nearly waning. They finally arrived at Hyboria's last stronghold. This was where the last battle was about to occur. They had been fighting and advancing into the Hyborian territories for hours. The king used the Sentinels to crush and smash the enemy's barricades, maiming many of the Hyborian soldiers and sending some of them screaming to their deaths. The Hyborian leaders could not believe that their plan had failed. The mutant king was alive and well, hovering over the walls over their fortress and looking quite murderous. King Erik signaled for his men to cease their approach and await his next orders. Cyclops and Banshee relayed this information and then the king flew close to the Hyborian gates, unafraid. He spoke loudly for all to hear, pointing towards the Sentinels who had crushed many of the Hyborian soldiers.

"You built these weapons to destroy us. Why? Because you are afraid of our gifts. Because we are different. Humanity has always feared that which is different. Well, I'm here to tell you, to tell the world, you're right to fear us! We are the future! We are the ones who will inherit this planet! And anyone who stands in our way will suffer the same fate as these men you see before you! Today was meant to be a display of your power. Instead, I give you a glimpse of the devastation my race can unleash upon yours! Let this be a warning to the world!"

King Erik's men shouted triumphantly, emboldened by their sovereign's words. The Hyborians knew that they were defeated. If they fought on, more of their men would be killed senselessly. They didn't realize that the mutant king could be this brutal and cunning. They were brought down by their own technology, just when they thought that they could overpower the king. There was silence from the Hyborian camp for several hours as they deliberated the situation amongst themselves and then they sent one soldier out, waving a white flag and finally admitting defeat. There was much shouting and jubilation from King Erik's men and the rest of them rounded up the Hyborian soldiers, who allowed themselves to be led away, their weapons taken from them. King Erik landed close to Cyclops and gave him instructions. Cyclops was to speak to the Hyborian leaders and command the rest of the army in his absence. He was nearing the breaking point of his will. Without the men noticing, Banshee and Unus shielded the king and led him away, securing a small airship and taking him to their main camp in the outskirts of the Hyborian forest. The king leaned on Banshee's shoulder, still sweating profusely and shivering. They guided him into a private aid station and had sworn the aides to secrecy. The physicians took over and attended upon the king's wounds. They used their advanced technology to probe the extent of the internal damage. The head physician grew pale as he checked the readings, lifting his head to face the soldiers.

"The king's condition is quite severe. There has been internal bleeding and several ruptured organs. We will do what we can."The man said solemnly.

Banshee swallowed thickly and looked down at his king, lying on the operating table. His liege was wide awake and had heard what the physician had said. The king gestured for Banshee to come close.

"I know how grave the situation is, Banshee. You must bring Elixir here. Only he can help me."

Elixir was one of the Royal Guards although his allegiance was questionable. The king himself had said so. He was one of the few that they had suspected was a spy for Shaw. However, Elixir's skill had proved far too useful for the king to dismiss him. Elixir was the one who healed the king when he was stabbed in the battlefield before.  King Erik knew that the man could help him in this situation now. Banshee hesitated a moment. He intended to take care of the matter only after the king had been healed. He left the king with Unus so that he could find Elixir while the physicians worked to stabilize their ruler's condition.  Moments later, Elixir entered the makeshift building, walking steadily towards the king. King Erik opened his eyes and nodded towards Elixir, the other bowing low before him and looking appropriately aghast.  
  
"My king! You have been injured! We did not even know-"  
  
"No one knows and no one else must know, do you understand? If our soldiers find out about this even if we have won the battle, this will cause anarchy in Genosha!" Banshee said tightly, glowering at him and grasping his arm, hard. Elixir nodded grimly at this. He could clearly see that the king struggled with the pain he was feeling. Elixir drew close to inspect the king's wounds.

"The damage is quite deep, my king. I can only heal you partially. If I push myself, I might end up in a coma-"

"I understand, Elixir."The king said weakly.

Elixir gestured to the physicians and worked with them to heal the king while Banshee and Unus guarded them. Banshee had to admire the king's fortitude. King Erik had screamed in pain several times, but he stifled it, gasping and struggling to quietly endure as Elixir healed his broken body. It took less than an hour and when Elixir was finished, he and the rest of the present Royal Guards carried their unconscious king to his makeshift quarters, a capsule-shaped installation. They had dimmed the lights and laid the king upon the bed. The king was only wearing loose pants and as Banshee drew the covers over the king's body, he noticed that there was a crescent shaped scar upon the left side of his torso, where he had been pierced by the spear. Elixir held his gaze when their eyes met and then Banshee gestured that they should go outside to talk while Unus watched over the king. When they were some distance away from the king's quarters, Banshee immediately threatened Elixir.

"We all know you are Shaw's spy, Elixir. I'm afraid I must detain you and prevent you from sending word to the Chancellor about the king's condition."

Elixir smiled at him insolently."You dare to accuse me without any proof of my supposed betrayal?"

Banshee narrowed his eyes at him, preparing himself for any form of attack."You have been exposed! Lady Grey saw your thoughts and she has informed the king of your treachery!"

Elixir's expression fell and he froze for a moment, his body stiffening in a defensive stance, knowing that Banshee could knock him unconscious in an instant once he opened his mouth and unleashed a sonic scream. He held his hands up in a silent entreaty.

"You don't understand. I have my reasons for doing the things I have done-"

"Then you do admit to your black deeds!"Banshee cried out accusingly. He was about to open his mouth to launch an attack and then he heard King Erik's feeble voice calling out to him.

"Banshee, no!"

Banshee's eyes widened and he turned to look towards his sovereign, who was aided by Unus. The king had a blanket thrown over his shoulders and he was deathly pale but he managed to rouse himself to stop his own Royal Guards from fighting. King Erik drew close and touched Banshee's shoulder, while Elixir kept his head respectfully bowed low, looking troubled.

"Banshee, forgive your liege for keeping you in the dark. It is time that you knew the truth. Elixir is a double agent of mine. I know, all of you are aware that I suspect him as a spy, but the truth of the matter is that Elixir is loyal to Genosha and to our cause. What you knew of his deeds was a lie we have been spreading to prevent Shaw from finding out that we are on to him. Elixir has been gathering proof of Shaw's schemes."

The king looked about all of them."Lady Grey has seen your minds and she has informed me of your honorable intentions and your loyalty. One day, these wars will come to an end and I wish nothing more than to have all of you standing by my side, sharing in the glory of a unified empire! So please, Banshee. Accept your king's apology for this deception."

Banshee shook his head slowly."There is nothing to forgive, my king!"He walked over to Elixir and held his hand out and the other took it. They smiled at each other and after the swell of emotion had passed from them, they guided their king back into his quarters to retire. It had been a long and grueling day and they all needed to rest.

 

_The soldier that Cyclops had sent back to Genosha came bounding out of the hangar, intending to speak to Lady Grey and to prepare the prince and his own Royal guards for the trip back into Hyboria. He had flown into the private hangar so that no one would be aware of his presence, for Cyclops had instructed him to leave with the prince stealthily, if possible. He was startled to find that the prince was actually already in the hangar, waiting for him. The young prince's luggage had been organized and his guards were standing behind him on both sides. Lady Grey was also present. No one had sent word to them and yet they seemed to be...expecting him._

_Looking baffled, the soldier bowed low before the prince and immediately stated his message._

_"My lord, the king has instructed me to take you back with me to Hyboria. He wishes for your presence at once!"_

_"Very well. Please lead the way and make haste. I know my king needs me!"_

_Lady Grey had read the man's mind and knew that he was telling the truth. She was equally as puzzled as the soldier was because the moment she went into the prince's bed chamber to soothe him, the prince announced that he had to prepare himself for travel because the king would send a man to pick him up and take him to Hyboria. How the prince knew this, she would never know. She did not question him any further, did not implore him to explain. She had tried to enter his mind instead and had seen only the nightmare that he had suffered when King Erik was mortally wounded, falling through a smoky sky. The nightmare had cut off afterwards and there was only the relentless ranting that ran through the prince's mind that his king needed him and he was desperate to see his 'Erik'. The prince was wearing dark brown traveling garments with a cloak thrown over his shoulders and high boots. His strange retinue had begun to pick up the prince's luggage to load it into the vessel. The soldier looked hesitant and still baffled, but he did as he was told. Once they had gone, Lady Grey stood by herself in the circular hangar, gazing after the prince and wishing them a safe journey._

 

Soft fingers gently caressed his forehead and King Erik smiled to himself. That familiar gentle touch. He opened his eyes to meet the prince's loving gaze. The prince's eyes shone with tears, his chin trembling with feeling and his brow furrowed with worry.

"What have they done to you, my king?"Prince Charles said softly and he began to cry, pressing his face to the king's neck and tenderly running his hands over his husband's bare skin. The king soothed him by running his fingers through the prince's silken dark brown hair, relieved that the other was now by his side. He exhaled a breath and then touching Charles' cheek, he drew the other close so they could kiss. They kissed for some time, the sounds of their kissing filling the quarters and then Charles removed his cloak. The king helped him out of his clothes. Now naked, the prince climbed into bed with him and held him in his arms, carefully moving about so as not to hurt his king. They kissed passionately and the king broke away so he could gaze down at the other, close to tears himself and overwhelmed with his feelings.

"I thought...I would never see you again,"The king whispered and Charles reached up to put his fingers over the other's lips.

"Hush now. I'm here, my love! I'm here for you!"

The king swooped down to kiss Charles hard on the lips, his tongue diving in and forcing the other to part his lips. They kissed and touched each other hungrily. They had been denied for so long and then the king reached for the prince's manhood, intending to please him, but the prince pushed his hand away.

"Erik, you are not well enough for that yet! We can just kiss and touch for now. There will be time for that later."

King Erik uttered a small sound of complaint and nuzzled his face against the prince's cheek."I missed you. I missed you so!"

"Yes, my love. I know."Prince Charles spoke soothingly against his neck. Feeling the other breathe against him, feeling his king's burning skin pressing up against him, sent a thrill through him and he thought he would fall into a state of swooning, just thinking of the fact that his king nearly died. He carefully pulled away and with light fingers, he touched the king's scar. The king gazed at him heatedly as he watched the other touching him.

"I love you, Charles."King Erik said softly. They went back to kissing passionately, as if they needed it like air. They couldn't stop touching and kissing each other and this was what the Genoshan soldiers saw when they rashly entered the king's quarters.

The Genoshan soldiers had grown suspicious over the absence of their king, as Cyclops oversaw the advance of the troops and became second-in-command. They had taken away Hyboria's leaders and their soldier's from the stronghold, the Hyborian King and his family evaded capture by escaping in an airship, perhaps intending seek sanctuary in another kingdom and to rally for some assistance. Hyboria had fallen, but Cyclops had to deal with the remaining rebel forces who avoided custody, the renegades fleeing deeper into the forest. At the same time, he had to deal with the Genoshan soldiers who demanded to see their king. Rumors had begun to spread that the king was injured and that he might have already died. Cyclops had done his best to dispel these lies and informed them that their liege was taking his much deserved respite with the prince because the king had missed the young prince dearly.

The soldiers did not believe a word of it. Some of them were just concerned over the fate of their liege while others intended to bring forth this news to Genosha, perhaps to cause mayhem and to tear down the Lehnsherr regime. Some of them had gathered in groups and marched off towards the outskirts of Hyboria's forest to find out the king's true condition. Unus and Banshee tried to stop them, but they forced themselves into the king's quarters and there they found their liege, straddling the young prince and kissing him senseless. The king stopped kissing his prince's neck, the other's eyes still closed and he turned to face the men who entered his abode. They looked shocked and somewhat embarrassed because Cyclops had been telling the truth after all.

"I do hope that this interruption is within reason. Otherwise, I might start crushing some skulls,"The king said dryly, giving the men such a piercing stare that they shrank back in fear. They were all wearing metal helmets and they knew what their king could do to them. The prince shyly pulled at the covers, blushing furiously and trying to hide his face against Erik's chest.

"P-pardon us, my liege! We have heard news that you are unwell and we just...we just wanted to be sure-"

The king's brow drew down angrily and he bared his teeth at the men."I have given orders that I am with my prince and that I was not to be disturbed! Has Cyclops failed to give you this information?"The soldiers were awkwardly silent for a long time, eyeing each other and pushing at one and then the other to speak. One of them finally spoke for the rest.

"Forgive us, King Erik! Cyclops did inform us-"The man admitted reluctantly, red in the face.

King Erik looked down at Charles and he could see how mortified the other was at having these men staring at them so.

"Leave us! I will deal with you lot later!"King Erik said in a soft and ominous voice that the men all hurried out of the door, the last man closing the door clumsily, knees shaking in his abject terror of the king's wrath. After they were gone, Charles lifted his head and looked up at the king with rounded eyes. The king reached out to touch his cheek.

"Please tell me you will not hurt them, my king!"

"Worry not. I will just have a word with them, nothing more."

King Erik slid over to the side and sighed contentedly again. He was too overjoyed by Charles' presence to be angry for much longer. He reached out and caressed Charles' belly from beneath the dark purple sheets.

"I am so very happy that you are here. We have conquered Hyboria successfully. Cyclops will continue with my campaign and eradicate all the Hyborian rebels until we have scourged this land to begin rebuilding Hyboria."

Charles reached for the king's hand to kiss it."You have exercised much of your power, my lord. Surely there are benevolent ways that you can win over the human race,"

King Erik chuckled at that and explained to his prince what he had been doing to prevent any war or casualties, by sending envoys and letters explaining his intention. He wanted Charles to understand that unification was the only way to bring the mutants and the humans together. If the other party preferred to go to war, the king could do nothing but engage the other, to crush down any insurgency and to show the world the power of the superhumans.

"Please understand, Charles. What I am doing is necessary. I must show them my strength so that they shall see that I am a powerful leader and that my race is not just some anomaly that should not have been born. We just want to be accepted. We just want to live like everyone else. If I did not pursue the ideals that my father has started before me, my race would still be persecuted,"

Charles tenderly caressed his king's neck, smiling at him kindly."You don't need to explain anything to me, my love. Do what you must do. I know you are a good man and you mean well,"

Erik's eyes shone with feeling and he bent close to kiss Charles again. The kissing grew passionate once more and Charles could feel the roiling of his own loins, his skin burning with his lust for the king. They had been apart for so long and he wanted him badly. The king knew what he was thinking and he bent close to whisper in his prince's ear.

"I want to make love to you, now. You cannot stop me my prince. Even if it causes me pain, I shall have you!"

Charles stiffened and then he began to gasp breathlessly when the king began to touch his manhood again and they writhed against each other, desperate to be united. Both of them restlessly moved about on the bed, with the king favoring the side of his torso. Charles took care not to graze the king's healing wound. The king had a bottle of sword oil close by and he used it to ease his entry into Charles' backside, moaning in pleasure and close to tears at the agonizing pleasure that the other's tight depth brought him. He moved his hips slowly and deeply, their lovemaking careful yet intense. Erik could not take his eyes off of Charles as the other undulated upwards to meet his thrusting hips.

Charles bit his lower lip and moaned, his eyes full of heat and lust."Uhhnnn, Erik! Oh God!"

The king felt an uncomfortable drilling pain in his side, but he ignored it, just to have a taste of his prince. He was that desperate for him. They rocked against each other deeply and slowly until they both climaxed at the same time, the king collapsing forward on top of the prince and gasping raggedly after. They stayed in bed, softly kissing and touching and they remained there for an entire day. Charles later took it upon himself to care for the king, feeding him and assisting him with his bathing, every amenity they needed supplied by the king's quarters. The king occasionally spoke to Cyclops as the other reported every movement their troops made and the current situation with the rebels. Cyclops and his men were confident that the rebel forces would eventually be wiped out.

"You have done well, Cyclops. I promise to give you your just reward when I return to Genosha. Once we are done here, I want you to hand over my instructions to Jean Grey, my adviser. She knows what to do and I am sure with both of you presiding over Genosha, there will be no dissension in my kingdom,"

Cyclops looked startled at first and then realization dawned upon him."Your majesty, do you mean to tell me that you will not be returning to Genosha just yet?"

Charles was sitting close by, reading a book. He stopped to regard his king and Cyclops, curious over their discussion.

"Yes."

King Erik did not say anything for some time and exchanged a lingering look with Cyclops. Cyclops finally had to ask the king further, wanting to understand what his sovereign intended to do.

"What are your plans, my liege?"

The king turned to look at the prince meaningfully."After I nearly died, I realized that I have spent so little time with my prince. I know there are more wars to be fought and I must continue with my quest for unification, but I do not wish to sacrifice my happiness. I am going into the Imayan desert with my prince."

Cyclops was about to burst forth with an objection, but the king lifted one hand to stop him."It will only be for a short while. Perhaps I will return in a few months time. I just need to live a few moments of my life in peace with the man I love,"

Charles felt his cheeks growing hot at the thought that the king would rather spend more time with him than go to war. The king loved him this much that he wanted no one else, but him. Charles did not dare to say anything until Cyclops had left, but the king could see that the prince was happy with the prospect of having the other all to himself. Cyclops helplessly gaped at his king, he was rendered speechless by the other's shocking decision. He was upset, of course, but he did not voice out his thoughts. He distractedly left after a few more words with the king and then Charles stood up from the chair and went to Erik, hugging the other to himself.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Erik? Our kingdom needs you!"

"And I have no wish to abandon them at all, my prince. I just want to know what it is like to live with you. Not as your king, but as your husband. Perhaps now would be the time to start...our family."

Charles pulled back, his eyes glimmering with emotion, incredulous over what he was hearing. He waited for Erik to explain further.

"Have you heard of the Aerie, my prince?"

Charles shook his head slowly, brow furrowed. The king chuckled softly and kissed his forehead, he pulled away, smiling insolently."Oh, so you don't know about them! I would have thought your history books would have mentioned something about it."

"What is the Aerie, my king?"

"The Aerie is a secret known only to a few. An ancient being known as Lilandra resides there. No one knows how long she has been alive, but she is a mystic capable of bringing about life. I do not know the secret of how she does this miraculous thing, but I know that people who are barren or couples incapable of birth have come to her and the pair would leave that place, carrying a babe in their arms afterwards. I have tried to solve the mystery of it, but the people I have conversed with, the ones who had come to her were sworn to secrecy and refused to divulge anything. Perhaps now, we shall both put an end to the mystery!"

Charles trembled slightly, his expression brightening. There was a way for him to give an heir to his king after all! That evening, they made preparations for their trip, with only Logan, Henry McCoy and Banshee to accompany them. Cyclops would be rallying the troops after they dispatched the last of the rebels and so he would remain in the Genoshan encampment until such time. The king spoke to his soldiers, informing them of his plans. Along with his prince and the small retinue that he allowed to accompany them, they boarded an airship bound for Aerie. Charles could not hide his excitement over this wonder they were about to embark upon. He looked over to his king, the other sitting next to him and they smiled at each other, both of them expectant and hopeful.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late post everyone :( Hopefully this chapter will make up for the delays. I'm working on three fics all at once so it gets kind of hard, switching from one and then the other, because I had to follow the right continuity, on top of getting so busy at work. I am hoping you will enjoy my offering and thanks again to the people who have constantly supported me <3

 

"Why can't we raise our son in Shi'ar? Is my country that insignificant to you? He's my son too! I have a right as his father!"Charles cried out, heckling the king and following him about the room indignantly. King Erik turned on him, eyes narrowed into angry slits.

"The boy will be raised in Genosha! I am your king and that is my final say in this matter!"Erik said, raising his voice at Charles for the first time.

Charles held their son David in his arms, rocking the baby gently, but at the same time, he was glowering at Erik. Their son slept on, oblivious to their war of words. They were arguing quite loudly that their vassals could hear them, making Charles feel self-conscious. It was unavoidable. They were in a temporary encampment after all and they have been residing in the desert for a few months now. They were presently arguing over where David was to be raised. Earlier, Charles had requested that they journey to Shi'ar so that Erik could leave him there along with their son. Charles had proposed this because Erik would be off to continue with his campaign and Charles would much prefer to be in the company of people he was familiar with inside the Forbidden Valley. Erik refused and informed his stubborn prince consort of the importance of raising the boy in Genosha; that the boy must be taught the Genoshan heritage and learn the established traditions of the kingdom. They argued at length until Charles turned away from the king, disgusted with him.

Charles sighed and sat upon their bed, bending forward to kiss his son and gazing down at him affectionately. His precious son. A child made of miracles. David's hair was of a golden color, but he has Charles' blue eyes. He was relieved that the boy was beautiful and healthy. Even if David had been born otherwise, he knew in his heart that he would adore his son. His hardened expression grew soft, just at the sight of his son's face.

An awkward silence settled over them, as Charles strove to ignore his husband, but he was too conscious of Erik's presence to continue doing so. Erik was at his makeshift desk, addressing the affairs of the kingdom, even from afar. His most trusted people are working hard to ensure that order is maintained in Genosha, with the king constantly updated on every situation that arose within the walls of his city. His Royal guards had weeded out any insurgent actions, perpetrated by certain nobles. These were the nobles goaded by Shaw to take arms and any form of rebellion was quashed before it had begun. The Royal guards maintained the peace in this manner and at the same time, they closely monitored Shaw's movements. Cyclops hastily returned to Genosha after Hyborea was cleared of rebels, while Lady Grey sent forth her own Chancellors to the conquered city to pass on the new laws decreed by their king. King Erik's strategy was to abolish the previous human laws, leaving the people to keep their land and their possessions and lowering their taxes. The primary objective was to make the people understand that they are not being conquered to deplete the land of its resources, raid it of its treasures or enslave its people, but to make them aware of King Erik's mandate for unification. The Hyborean people were now aware of what the mutant king intended for them that they were stunned by it.

Charles was all too aware of the burden his king had to bear because he could see Erik hard at work, even at night, discussing the condition of the kingdom with either Lady Grey or Cyclops, using a remote communications system. He could not stand this trivial enmity between them any longer. Charles finally softened and he stood up, walking towards Erik and placing a gentle hand upon his husband's shoulder. Erik looked up from his scrolls and documents to regard Charles, his expression curious. Charles embraced Erik with one arm while their child slept on in the crook of his other arm.

"I'm sorry. I have forgotten my wedding vows to obey your every word. I shall respect whatever decision you will make about our son from now on, my lord!"Charles murmured softly in Erik's ear and with this, Erik finally softened as well. Their argument was so petty that it was not worth any prolonged anger. He reached around and guided Charles to sit upon his lap and he embraced his prince consort affectionately, proudly gazing at his son in Charles' arms. He now has a son!

"If it would please my prince, you and David can reside in Shi'ar temporarily when we visit Queen Raven. Our child is of a unified kingdom after all. He is as much a son of Shi'ar as he is of Genosha!"

Charles lifted his head up, smiling sweetly at his king and then he drew close so they could kiss. Charles distracted Erik from his work by leading him into their bed so they could play with their son, who had awoken to the sight of his parents kissing and the child greeted them with a bright smile and a cheerful giggle. Charles had never felt such peace and contentment as this, to have tender moments with his husband and his son. The amazing circumstances that brought about David's birth still amazed him to this very day. His thoughts went to that moment back in Aerie when they met Lilandra.

Aerie was not on any map or any book that Charles had ever read because Aerie was presumed to be a ridiculous myth, the mad ramblings of the individuals who sought to mystify the origins of their offspring, children who were possibly throwaways, adopted or stolen from their homes and yet no one came forth to take the children back. The most curious thing about the matter is that the children themselves bore a striking resemblance to the people who claim to be their true parents. Erik was informed of this mysterious force and he had his people look into it. The couples who were interviewed about their miracle children were cautious about sharing any of Lilandra's secrets. The only thing they shared was that Aerie will only come to those who need it most and so Erik thought, if Aerie is not on any map, it would mean that it existed in a pocket dimension of Lilandra's doing. This was supported by the fact that Aerie was heard to be in one location then another. He had sent word to his kingdom that he was on this sojourn with his prince for the purpose of bearing an heir to the throne. It was also an opportunity for his wound to mend. He spent his days with Charles out in the Imayan desert, where the unnatural Imayan weather did not venture and the nights are always clear and full of stars that they gazed up at. They spent a few weeks there while the king recovered and when the king had finally healed, they took their airship into the location where Lilandra's secret abode was sighted. They both came to an agreement to look for Aerie. Erik relayed all the necessary information to his prince, who raptly listened to his every word. Their airship flew far and wide over the desert and then across the Imayan sea, until they made a stop to refuel and gather provisions at a kingdom under King Erik's rule. The name of the kingdom was Symkaria.

The city was populated by both humans and superhumans; the superhumans were settlers that Erik had encouraged to live on in Symkaria to build their homes and raise their families and it appears that both parties are living harmoniously together. The king and his prince consort were welcomed by the people and invited to reside in the castle, but the king informed the designated ruler that he and his prince were on a quest to sire an heir to the Genoshan throne and that there is a mystic that can grant them the capability to do so. After they had rested in the castle for a few hours, they continued with their journey and headed into the deep forests of Muir, where the rumors indicated Aerie would be located. Banshee landed the ship at the edge of Muir's woods. The forest was thick and ominous, where leviathan creatures reside and any force that has been sent forth to plow the land of its resources have failed due to the inhospitable and savage condition of the land. The purple tree branches were tightly coiled together, forming a network of branches that prevented the light from going through and the gray leaves looked unpalatable and dead. Erik gestured to prince Charles' own guards and to Banshee.

"We are going into the forest. You must not follow, lest it prevents us from entering Aerie."

"Sire, are you sure this is the place? I have heard of tales that Aerie is located in a beach or in the ruins of an old castle-"

"This was one of the locations mentioned by my intelligence unit. If there is a chance that Aerie is not here, we shall go to the next location."

"Very well, my lord! I wish you a safe journey!"Banshee cried out and placed a hand to his chest, close to his heart and bowing his head before his king. King Erik did not have any weapons with him, nor did he carry any provisions. All they had with them were the clothes upon their bodies and their capes. Logan was about to intervene, wanting to follow the prince surreptitiously, but Henry McCoy reached for his arm and stopped him, shaking his head.

"The king is capable of protecting the prince, Logan. Let them continue,"

"But-"

"Leave them be!"Henry McCoy growled in a low voice and Logan reluctantly watched as the king and the prince breached the forest wall, with its thick purplish branches that looked like tentacles instead of wood. The king and the prince had to carefully traverse the forest, with Erik walking ahead and Charles directly behind him. They walked without incident until they came upon a woman dressed in a tight silver outfit that clung to her body like it was skin. She looked naked before them. Her head was covered by a strange, silvery headpiece and her lips and otherworldly orange eyes were painted in much the same color. Erik instantly noted the ominous presence of this woman; she has a dark and threatening aura about her. She was not an ordinary being, human or otherwise. He could feel the intensity of some strange power emanating from her. It was immense and it felt...ancient. She was crouched down, legs wide apart in an obscene pose and she had a white staff in one hand. "I have been waiting for you, King Erik,"The woman said in a deep voice, smiling at them knowingly.

"Are you Lilandra?"Erik asked warily, keeping Charles shielded in case the woman did something suspicious. Is this really the mystic? She was an attractive and young-looking woman. He was expecting an old, withered crone because Lilandra was supposed to have been alive for many centuries.

"I am she."Lilandra said in a sing-song voice and she tilted her head to the side, wanting to see Charles.

"Your handsome husband is quite the bashful one. Will you not introduce us?"

Erik guided Charles to stand by his side."This is my prince consort, Charles Xavier of the Shi'ar empire."

Charles bowed his head in greeting and gave the mystic a nervous smile."Lady Lilandra, it is a pleasure to meet you,"

"But you don't look very pleased, my young lord,"Lilandra teased and Charles did not know how to respond to that so he remained silent. Lilandra finally straightened up and Charles averted his eyes from the sight of her almost naked body. He could see her nipples defiantly pushing out against the fabric of her outfit and the way it was molded against her voluptuous form left little to the imagination. Lilandra pointed her staff towards the darkest path in the forest.

"Please, enter. You are welcome to set foot into Aerie,"Lilandra invited them and as King Erik stepped forward, Lilandra lifted her a hand this time in a ward-off gesture.

"However, you must take heed that once you enter, you bind yourself into a contract with me,"

Erik stopped for a moment. He narrowed his eyes and he could see nothing but an utter void between the thick branches. It was as black as a starless night and Charles clung to Erik's arm, apprehensive when he saw where they were about to enter. The king gave Lilandra a lingering stare and then he led Charles by the arm into that black void, plodding on. They were instantly plunged into darkness and what faint light was behind them suddenly disappeared. Charles gasped and pressed himself to Erik and then they were both startled when a bright and blinding light shone upon them from overhead, causing them to blink repeatedly, their eyes adjusting to the light. They found themselves in some sort of stone fortress. They were standing close to an ancient wall, the stone surface of which was etched deeply with mystical runes and up above, yellow glowing crystals that lit their way. Down the length of the wide passage where they stood, Lilandra was already waiting for them. How she came in ahead of them was a mystery, but it did not come as a surprise to King Erik.

Lilandra lifted her staff again and gestured for them to follow her, keeping silent this time. King Erik and Charles walked a few feet behind her, seeing nothing but the long and cavernous passageway that seemed to go on for miles until they came upon a gargantuan log door, which opened by itself and then they were led into a narrow hall with a wooden table in the middle and leather-covered stools. On both sides, there are slit windows that gave them a view of the terrifying landscape outside. The black void was pierced through by an intermittent flash of purple and white lightning, hissing with a faint electric sound as it struck the nothingness where Aerie stood. Aerie was a fortress that floated on in space. Charles' eyes were drawn to this daunting sight and it was with much reluctance that he drew his eyes away from it. Lilandra murmured that they should all sit. Erik led Charles and guided him to sit on a stool next to the one he sat in while Lilandra sat on the opposite end of the table to face them, leaning her staff at the edge of the table. Charles still found it so disconcerting to look at her directly because her eyes frightened him.

"I know why you are here, King Erik. You wish to have a child, but the mate you chose cannot conceive and so here you are,"

"Yes, but I take it that there is a price to be paid to ask this of you,"Erik said solemnly staring hard at Lilandra.

Lilandra smiled at the king indulgently."Indeed there is a price, my king. I ask not for riches or jewels. That is not how I wish to be recompensed,"

The king grew silent for a moment, casting a worried glance towards Charles and then facing Lilandra again.

"What then?"Erik said, wary of what the other would ask as payment. Lilandra chuckled at the king's tense countenance and leaned forward upon the table. She gave both men a devious smile and what she said next startled both the king and the prince.

"Secrets."

"I beg your pardon?"The king could not hide his bewilderment.

Lilandra leaned away and crossed her legs beneath the table, pleased with the sight of their nonplussed expressions."I do not care what type of secret it is, be it something small or scandalous. You must understand that this is my nature. I am a keeper of secrets and therefore, I can only grant your request if I am paid in such a fashion, to keep your secret for you,"

Stunned silence from both Erik and Charles. Lilandra lifted a finger, a smile still pasted to her face."I have my conditions, but there is only one important rule that you must follow while in Aerie. When you give me your secret, your partner must not know what that secret is, otherwise, the contract will be voided between us. Should your partner know of the secret when you leave Aerie, I will not void your contract. Only when your partner knows of this secret while in Aerie will I take back the gift I am to bestow upon you,"

"That...that does not sound like such a bad deal,"The king said, seeming to consider her proposal, but he could not hide the look of reluctance on his face. He was troubled that this was the kind of payment Lilandra would ask for.

"Really? Then, we have an agreement?"Lilandra asked smoothly and the king turned to look into Charles' eyes before answering.

"Yes."

"Very well. One other thing that you must take heed of when you leave Aerie, you will tell no soul of what happens here. The barren ones, those who have failed in this trial, have also been sworn to secrecy by me and those who have broken my trust have been dealt with for their sacrilege. Do not ever doubt that I will not know of it, if you betray my trust. I will kill your child if you dare to do such a thing and there is no power in the known universe that can stop me from doing so."Lilandra said quietly, her face momentarily darkening and both Erik and Charles knew that she meant what she had said, for her words carried with it a frightening finality.

It was no wonder why none of the couples Erik's men had interviewed dared to say anything. Lilandra settled her chin upon her hands as she leaned on the table on her elbows, her crafty smile creeping back upon her face. Erik of course, knew there was a catch to this agreement. He immediately voiced out his concern.

"There is something more to what you are asking of us, am I correct?"

"Ah, you are quite perceptive my king. Yes, there is more to the rules that I am to impose,"

"Would it be impudent of me to ask you what it is?"

"Not at all, King Erik. I will not deny you what you need to know,"

"You mentioned that when we give you our secrets, Charles and I must not know each other's secrets. That would mean that something in Aerie will force us to tell each other the truth,"

Lilandra laughed softly at the King's perception."You catch on fast, my king. Yes, that is correct. Many of the couples who came to me understood what was happening, but only when it was already too late. Sadly, I have seen my share of aborted births because of this."

Charles was aghast, swallowing thickly. Lilandra was no benevolent mystic out to grant each request. There was indeed a terrible price to be paid for her service. Charles clutched Erik's hand from underneath the table, fearful of undertaking this trial and of failing his king. Erik glanced over at Charles, quietly agonized and wondering if they should continue. He knew that if they fail, Lilandra will not allow them entry into Aerie again. They only have one chance to have a child and they could not back out now.

"Tell me, what would make us tell each other the truth?"King Erik continued in a strained voice.

"The room of fidelity, where you are to have your child with the prince."

Erik grew silent for a moment, staring hard at Lilandra, his mind desperately at work over how to overcome the trial Lilandra was about to set out for them.

"This room that you speak of...are there more rules we have to follow when we enter it?"

Lilandra clapped her hands together, pleased with the king."Oh yes! You do ask the right questions, your majesty! When you enter that room, you are not to say a word to each other, not one word. There is a power in that room that renders an occupant incapable of deceit. Those who enter can utter nothing but the truth and the only way for you to avoid saying the truth is to remain silent. That alone is hard enough to accomplish,"

"How so?"

"The room will force you to speak. If you say one word, your child will die or worse, become born into the world as a deformed being. If you want to avoid saying anything, well, you must find all the means necessary to avoid speaking to each other."Lilandra said with mock regret, her cunning expression was that of one who relished tragedy.

The king nodded thoughtfully at this, doing his utmost to hide the fear building inside him because Charles was already frightened and he did not want the prince to remain in such a state; the prince's eyes were already growing wide the more Lilandra explained her conditions. He thought of the couples who had successfully overcome Lilandra's trial. If they were able to accomplish this task, then that would mean that it is not impossible to achieve.

"How would the prince and I...have our child?"Erik asked carefully, wanting to understand every aspect of the process.

Lilandra shrugged casually."How do we all have children in this world? Through sexual congress, of course. There is a bed in the room of fidelity and this is how you are to create your child. I will give you both a potion to drink and after which, you will enter the room to have sex. The length of time needed to create your child is strictly up to you, but I will bear witness to your union to ensure that you are following the rules,"

Charles blushed furiously after hearing Lilandra's conditions. He was embarrassed that a total stranger would have to watch him make love to Erik in order for them to have their child. On top of that, he was afraid of the woman. He felt ill in her presence, her piercing orange eyes gazing out at him in such a way that seemed to penetrate deep within his soul. He felt naked before her, exposed. Lilandra was aware that she was making him uncomfortable, but she did not voice out any assurance or apology. She stared at him unabashedly for some time and then she spoke.

"It is time. I shall speak to the prince alone, King Erik. He shall be the first,"

"Perhaps you should speak to me before you begin speaking to Charles,"

"No, you don't get to make the rules, King Erik. Not here! If I say he is first, he shall be first!"Lilandra said abruptly and then with a wave of her hand, King Erik's chair was flung backwards towards the way they had entered, moved by an invisible force that took the king along with his seat. He could not get out of the leather-covered stool for some reason, as if he was bound to the chair. He was only able to shout out Charles' name before the log doors began to close.

"Charles!"The king was immediately cut off when the doors slammed shut and he was gone from Charles' sight. Charles sat stiffly in his seat, arms crossed in front of himself, staring at Lilandra warily, his expression tense and alert.

"Let us begin," Lilandra said throatily and Charles could only gaze out at her helplessly as he awaited what was to come next.

 

Lilandra gazed at the prince with a faint smirk upon her face. She did this for some length of time while Charles kept his gaze averted, head bowed low. Lilandra stood up and sauntered over to Charles' side of the table. She walked with a feline smoothness that made her seem less human and more otherworldly. Charles lifted his head slightly to look up at her, avoiding her eyes and staring at her silver lips instead.

"I have waited for you for so long, prince Charles. For so long! Your secret...it is one of those rare delicacies that my tongue has longed to taste and I know, I shan't ever taste it again. The flavor of it, though! Oh, but it will linger on for eons to come and I will savor it each time it comes to my memory!"

Charles remained still, keeping himself silent. Lilandra's nearness seemed to have robbed him of the capability to speak and he could only stare at her with round blue eyes. Lilandra reached out and gently touched the prince's chin.

"You do not understand what I am talking about, my prince?"

Charles forced his throat to make an utterance, his jaws feeling stiff when he finally did say something."No, I do not."

Lilandra leaned in close, slowly, as if she was about to kiss the prince, but she whispered something into his ear instead."You keep a terrifying secret!"

Charles drew back and looked up at her with disbelief, his lower jaw trembling."I...I have no secrets,"He said in a small voice.

Lilandra giggled at his unease, touching his cheek gently, caressing his skin."Oh but you do, my prince. That is what makes it so delectable! You have a secret that even you are not made privy to,"

"No,"Charles whispered, his eyes watering. What Lilandra was saying frightened him because somehow, he knew deep within himself that what she was saying was true. He has a very fragmented memory of his childhood and what little he remembered made him wonder at some point, if his own mind deliberately cast these memories aside or they were taken from him. He kept his own doubts a secret, for he had no one to confide in about it. Lilandra was right. Something happened to him when he was young...a terrible secret. He shook his head in denial, eyes glimmering with his fear and then Lilandra held both sides of his head in her hands.

"Don't be afraid, my prince. I may know of your secret, without you ever knowing it yourself, if it frightens you that much,"Lilandra cooed out to him.

Charles' own lips felt numb, but he was able to voice out a question."H-How are you to do this?"

Lilandra smiled at the prince indulgently. She straightened up and stood directly behind the prince. She held her hands close to his head, her fingers mere inches from his hair and then she spoke in a strange, disemboweled voice. She sounded like she was speaking with two overlapping voices, coming from deep in her throat.

"I will put your consciousness to sleep,"

Charles was not able to respond. A black veil was thrown over his eyes. He lost consciousness immediately and yet his eyes were wide open. His eyes stared blankly into space, glassy and lifeless as Lilandra used her powers on him. Charles' face grew slack while Lilandra kept on hovering her fingers over his head. She leaned in close and whispered into Charles' ear.

"Tell me your secret!"Lilandra said huskily.

Charles' blue eyes were clouded over all of a sudden, growing inky black. It covered even the whites of his eyes and then he spoke softly, his mouth moving of its own accord and he divulged his secret to Lilandra. Lilandra had on a self-satisfied smile as she listened, utterly delighted with the information she was receiving from Charles. When he had finished giving her his secret, she released him from the spell she had cast upon him, his eyes going back to their normal color. He slumped forward on to the table, exhausted. He blearily lifted his head to look up at her. Whatever she did to him drained him of his vitality for some reason.

"What did you do to me?"

Lilandra shrugged offhandedly."I have put a spell on you to prevent you from knowing your own secret. You have shared your secret with me with the help of the other half of your consciousness, the one who knows the truth. Do not be alarmed, my prince. Your disorientation is only temporary. Once you have rested, you will recover your strength. I thank you by the way, for that secret, it was quite delicious!"Lilandra patted her stomach and licked her lips; that odd, knowing smile still on her face and seeing her like this, hearing her say such things disturbed Charles deeply. Lilandra reached for his shoulder, but he shrank away from her.

"Hmm, still such a frightened little darling! I am merely directing you to enter your temporary chamber over there while I speak to the king,"

Lilandra pointed to a narrow white door on the other side of the room. That door was not there before. Charles stood up from the chair slowly, his knees jellied, but he managed to walk over to the door, following Lilandra's orders. He turned to give her one uneasy glance and then he went into the room. He was confused and frightened with this predicament. Was it really necessary that they had to seek Lilandra for her help? She was a frightful witch with powers beyond their imagining and his mistrust for her grew as well as his unease over this entire affair. He entered a room that looked like the inside of a tree-trunk. A large bed with a thick white mattress was in the middle of the room and the floor beneath his feet covered in a rush-matting of dark brown fur. He walked slowly over to the window, for something caught his interest from outside. He gasped out at what he had seen. Bright blue skies in the distance and rolling green mountains. There were numerous lush trees and vast mushrooms the size of a human being; the forest scene before him teemed with life and insects of all kinds. His eyes were drawn to the delicate butterflies that hovered over pale and brightly colored flowers. It was a relaxing and beautiful sight to see. Charles gazed at this marvel for some time and then he heard the sound of a glass being settled upon a table behind him. He turned to look, but there was no one there. However, a glass cup was placed on a low table close to the bed. Charles smelled the aroma of the hot brew before he saw it. It smelled sweet, caramel-like. He headed towards the table and, knowing that the drink was for him, he lifted it to his mouth, the tantalizing smell drawing him in, but he suddenly stopped the movement, wondering if it was safe.

_Drink-_

Something whispered in his ear and he turned his head slowly towards the speaker. There was no one there. He did not trust that voice at all. He stared at the drink, steam still rising from its milky surface and then it was Lilandra's voice that spoke within the room.

"Drink it, my prince. It is a healing brew and it will allow you to sleep,"

Charles acquiesced when he realized Lilandra was not giving him any poison. She still had to fulfill her end of the agreement. He thought that if the other couples that came out of this were alive and well... that would mean she was not the kind of being who would renege on what was agreed upon. She had to fulfill her end of the deal. He finished his drink, for it was pleasant and it warmed his belly. He placed the glass down on the table, sighing contentedly and then he sat on the edge of the bed, feeling drowsy. He rolled softly onto the mattress, suddenly feeling relaxed, seeking the comfort of repose and he fell asleep instantly.

It was odd that Charles did not hear his King repeatedly pounding at the door, the other even going so far as attempting to use his magnetic powers to force the door open, but he was appalled to discover that the log door did not have a single metal piece in it. He concentrated, trying to draw metal from Lilandra's fortress, but none came forth. He was powerless here, unable to get to his prince. He was worried over what Lilandra could be doing to his husband. Charles was too tender-hearted and easily frightened. He was not sure if he could fully trust Lilandra. She was a dangerous woman and he suddenly wondered if it was a mistake to have come here in the first place. He stood by the log door for hours, pacing restlessly from time to time and then the doors finally opened. He gasped and stood straight. Lilandra was alone in the receiving room. The king angrily stomped over to her, shouting loudly.

"Where is my husband? Where is Charles?"

Lilandra remained casually seated, unfazed by his tirade."He is safe and resting in a bed chamber. You will not see him until the time of the birthing,"

"I demand to see my prince!"The king hollered out at her, his face a mask of rage.

Lilandra smiled at him."Very well,"

She waved her hand before her and a crystalline condensation materialized upon her palm. Erik could see an image of Charles in the haze, the other fast asleep.

"You see? He is safe. It would be better if you let him rest. It is now time for you to share your secret with me,"

The king's expression did not change and he jabbed an angry finger at the haze."I want to physically see my husband. Now. Right this instant!"

Lilandra's pleasant expression fell and she narrowed her eyes at the king."You are not the one to command me, my king. You are in Aerie and you are under my mercy. Your kinghood does not extend in here!"

King Erik remained silent, regretting that he ever took Charles to this place. Lilandra could see the regret upon his countenance and her expression softened at it.

"I assure you, he is well. You will see him soon. But first, we must continue with what we have started. I am here to help you attain your goal of having a child with the prince. All you have to do is share your secrets with me, no matter how terrible they are,"

King Erik found her expression odd. There was pity in her eyes and that somehow worried him. _Does she pity me?_

The king stood there for a moment, drawing in sharp breaths and then he sat upon a stool before her, his face still stormy and mistrustful. Lilandra's crafty look came back in full force and then she folded her arms before her on the table, her staff leaning on the side of the table once more.

"You and I both know the prince has a secret that he does not even know about. His soul was torn apart at the cost of that secret. You found out about his condition because this was shared to you by your telepathic servant, Jean Grey. She is quite loyal to your cause, isn't she? Tell me, would you care to hear what that secret is?"Lilandra said in taunting manner, dangling her knowledge of the secret before the king, teasing him.

Erik's jaw tightened."You will never divulge it to me, Lilandra. You would not be a keeper of secrets if you did so,"

"But you do want to know, don't you? Knowing only that a secret is there, but having no knowledge of it, surely it would eat away at you after you leave Aerie. You will be filled with doubt, and you will begin to wonder about the man you chose as your mate. That secret will come between you one day and you will realize the truth of my words,"

Erik shook his head minutely, his expression intense."I don't care. I love him and that is all that matters! I care not for the secret he keeps from me!"

Lilandra snorted at his words."I hope for your sake that he does not know his own secret then, King Erik, since you love him this much,"

"Just ask your damn questions of me and let us be done with this! I want to see my prince!"King Erik cried out insolently, slamming his fists upon the table.

"Tsk! Tsk! No need to hurry! We have enough time, my king."Lilandra said, continuing with her taunts.

Erik sighed tiredly and gave Lilandra a dark look of impatience, holding her gaze defiantly. Lilandra finally lost interest in gibing the king any further and her face grew serious, staring at the king with her narrowed orange eyes.

"Your secret...happened when you were a young boy. What was it?"

The king was momentarily stunned that Lilandra knew about it. His throat felt dry and he thought Lilandra a pitiless monster out to stir doubt in their hearts. Of course this was a secret that he did not want Charles to know. He mumbled his response, his eyes settling on the purple and white lightning that was flashing outside the slit window.

"There were only four people who knew about it. Myself, my father and his two royal guards. I bore witness to the murder of Charles' father, King Raphael. My father murdered Charles' father out of self-defense, but it appears Charles has no knowledge of it. I thought...I thought he deliberately had his memories struck from him so that he would not remember his father's death,"

Lilandra remained silent, waiting for him to continue."No one knew of my involvement in that sordid affair. Not even Charles. Everyone who knew of it has already passed away, my father included when he died peacefully in his deathbed. Even Charles' queen mother did not know. They only knew that King Raphael was killed for his treachery against his superhuman kinsmen and so my father was not tried for the murder. I know Charles' queen mother died soon after because her heart was broken and her children were left in the care of their noble relatives. Eventually, Raven was declared queen of Shi'ar when she became of age because her brother did not have any powers,"

Lilandra licked her thick and sensuous lips slowly, smiling blissfully all of a sudden. She closed her eyes and sighed with pleasure. Now Erik knew why she was a keeper of secrets; it was because she was nurtured by it."Yes! This is also quite a morsel! Ah, both you and your prince have fed me well!"

King Erik made a face."Jean Grey knows my secret because she has seen my mind,"

Lilandra shrugged at that, unperturbed."She's an exception to rule. The important thing is that you gave me a secret that your prince consort does not know,"

She suddenly stood up and pointed towards a black door on the opposite side of the white door."You must rest. I will prepare the potion that both you and your husband will drink to create your child,"

"I need to see Charles!"

Lilandra shook her head slowly."No. You must not see him until the birthing,"

"But Charles and I must figure out a strategy! You have said that the room will force us to utter a word!"

"Indeed, I did say that. However, you can only devise a plan on that very same day, before you enter the room."

Erik was taken aback by her words, eyes wide and indignant. What was this witch playing at? Lilandra smiled at him in that taunting manner yet again and he could do nothing but follow her instructions. He would have to study the situation and make the plans for both him and Charles. He barely had any sleep as he refused the soothing brew that was offered to him, the same drink that Charles had consumed. He sat on the edge of his bed and ignored the view outside his window. It was of a pristine white landscape with softly falling snow covering the white mountains and topping the pine trees. The skies outside are a cool blue streaked with pale clouds. His room was colored black, the bedsheets made of black silk and the floor beneath him made of cool marble stones, the color of black ichor. He was deep in thought and sat in this manner for several hours, then his door creaked open and Lilandra peered in, smiling at him.

"The potion is ready. Come with me,"

Erik immediately stood up and followed her and was bewildered by the sight before him. The room outside was transformed. He was in Lilandra's potion room, filled right up to the ceiling with numerous flasks and jars containing chemicals and mystical elements. There was a long, arching gold table in the middle of the room and upon the table were the implements Lilandra had used to create her potions and brews. Above was a domed glass ceiling with a dark, starry sky and all about the room, scattered in a careless fashion, are spell books, arcane contraptions known only to those who understood the esoteric and potted herbs. Charles was already at the table, waiting for them. Erik quickly went over to Charles and they hugged each other fiercely.

"Charles, are you well? Did she harm you?"

Charles smiled at him gently."No, my lord. Lady Lilandra has treated me well."

Erik still flung Lilandra a distrustful glance and ran his hands possessively over Charles' shoulders. Lilandra just smiled impishly and sauntered about the room, carrying her staff.

"Charles, I have devised of various plans we can use which will prevent us from speaking to each other in the room of fidelity,"

The prince listened attentively to the king's plans and shared some of his own. Lilandra gave them enough time to discuss their plans and when she ascertained that they have reached an agreement, she walked over to the gold table and then she held up a small glass that contained a clear violet fluid.

"In this tiny glass, is the life force that will help shape your child. When you drink this, there is no turning back. You will both enter the room of fidelity and begin the process of procreation. I warn you, not a word must be spoken, for the union of two wedded souls is a sacred act. It must not be defiled by words. If even one word is spoken, you will bring woe to your child!"

Erik and Charles exchanged anxious gazes. Charles could not help it when he voiced out his thoughts."Why must this entire thing be so difficult? Do you not feel any remorse for making so many people suffer, just because they are desperate to have children?"

Lilandra laughed at Charles' heartfelt words."Greatness thrives in adversity, my young lord. Many of the couples who left Aerie are changed by their experience here. Be it good or bad, they have come away with something important and the life they have sired grew to greatness, as I have hoped them to be. I pray your child will be the same. Now, drink the potion and fulfill our agreement!"

Charles licked his lips nervously and flung a glance at Erik then Lilandra. He had to do this for Erik. He picked up the glass and the king followed suit. They gazed at each other intensely.

"No matter what happens here, Charles, I love you and I will never stop loving you!"The king said with feeling.

The prince nodded in response, his throat felt too tight and too full of his emotions to say anything. He picked up the glass and drank the potion and Erik did the same. Charles swallowed the fluid and it tasted strangely light and flowery. He smacked his lips together and then a sudden headiness came over him. He leaned towards Erik, eyes closed and the other grasped his shoulders. Erik turned to look up at Lilandra worriedly.

"Charles! What is wrong with him? What is in that potion?"

"Oh, how odd! I thought that he would be able fight the effects of the potion. He seemed like such a demure fellow,"Lilandra tittered and then Erik felt Charles kissing his throat and grabbing at the lapels of his dark red coat. Erik looked down at Charles' face and he saw that the other's face had blossomed with a heated flush, eyes heavy-lidded with arousal. The potion not only served as a life-giving elixir, it also functions as an aphrodisiac. Charles pressed himself up against Erik, kissing and licking at his husband's cheeks desperately.

"Take me, please take me!"Charles moaned and Erik grasped at his wrist to stop him. They were supposed to do this in the room of fidelity and he was not sure if they had broken a condition, with Charles acting this way. How would Charles be able to control himself and prevent himself from speaking in that room? He looked up at Lilandra again, silently cursing her.

"Where is the room of fidelity? Take us there!"

Lilandra waved her staff and the room started to decay into tiny black motes. The entire room was suddenly suffused in a muted golden light; it was empty, save for a large bed with a red coverlet made of velvet cloth and a black carpet beneath their feet, where the black motes settled and disappeared. Golden billowing drapes surrounded the walls and up above, a golden ceiling riddled with jewels. There were odd carvings of strange and unknown beasts that Erik had never seen before.

"The room of fidelity,"Lilandra announced and then a golden, carved chair materialized behind her and she sat upon it, setting her staff against one shoulder. The room had finished its transformation and Lilandra herself dared not to say any word after it had done so. She gazed at the lovers, her face expressionless.

Erik knew not a word must be spoken at this point. It has begun. Charles was busily undressing the king as the other stood there, desperate for Charles to gain his senses and not make any utterance. Charles kept kissing his skin, moaning softly. They were of course, allowed to moan and gasp, for these are not actual spoken words. He helped Charles with undressing as well and he guided Charles towards the bed. Charles was possessed by the potion Lilandra had given them to drink. He desperately reached for Erik, holding the other in his arms and giving him a torrid kiss. They rolled about the bed, naked, but Erik found that he was not aroused at all. His mind was too focused on Charles, willing the other not to say anything or else their endeavors would fail. Charles noticed his lack of enthusiasm and stopped a moment to look up at his husband. Charles smiled at him softly and touched his face and then Erik realized that even though Charles was affected by the potion's aphrodisiac properties, his mental faculties are still his.

 _Trust in me_ , Charles' eyes seemed to say to him and Erik finally gave in to the potion as well. Erik traced kisses upon Charles' nipples and the other surged upwards, savoring the electric sensation it gave him as Erik suckled upon one and then the other nipple. Erik's tongue seductively traced downwards, licking at his young prince's muscled belly and then he took Charles' manhood into his mouth and sucked strongly at the shaft. Charles bit down on a scream of pleasure that wanted to escape his throat. He was aware of Lilandra's presence, but he was no longer self-conscious over it. His mind was focused on Erik alone and the pleasure, the undeniable pleasure that only the king could give him. Charles felt around for the king's sex and found that he had grown hard as well, while the king knelt at his side, sucking and licking his straining member. Erik uttered a growl, his body responding to Charles' ministrations.

Charles fought hard, willing his mouth not to say a word and Lilandra was right. Some strange entity was in that room and it was trying to provoke him into saying something, on top of being so distracted by his own arousal over the things Erik was doing to his body. Erik's tongue and mouth never did cease to give him so much pleasure. Erik's teeth grazed down at the shaft of his manhood with a tantalizing sense of danger, sending sparks and ripples of pleasure to course throughout his entire body. Charles moaned incoherently, his shoulders giddily lifting upward and then something strange happened. A barely visible vapor rose from his lips, floating upwards. Charles thought it was a trick of the light, but it seemed the vapor hovered over their heads and remained there. Erik suddenly grasped at Charles' hips so he could force him down on to the bed, straddling him. Erik's own eyes are dark with wanting, hungry for the sexual union to commence. The muscles above his sex tightened and he uttered a shaky gasp. Charles saw that some vapor also escaped Erik's mouth and rose up to join the other vapor that Charles had released earlier. The more they touched and aroused each other, more of the vapor formed overhead until it was a ball of smoky, white cloud.

Erik suddenly entered Charles' backside insistently, pushing the other's legs wide apart so he could force himself into Charles' tight backside, shuddering and moaning in pleasure. Charles nearly cried out a word, but slapped a hand over his own mouth before he made that grave mistake. They were both sweating with their exertions, aroused beyond control. Erik's familiar and welcome manhood slid into him. They did not have any lubrication with them and Erik understood that he was causing his husband some pain. He spat in his hand and slathered his spittle upon his sex when he pulled out of Charles. He repeatedly did this while Charles kept his eyes closed, brow furrowed and biting down on his lower lip, still too aroused to lose his own erection. He wanted so badly for Erik to possess him. His legs and feet restlessly moved about, waiting for Erik to continue and then Erik entered him again and it was easier this time.

He stifled his cries and bucked up for more, excited and aroused by Erik's length driving deep into the depth of his backside and jabbing at that sensitive gland from within. He wrapped his arms about Erik while the other braced himself on the mattress, hips thrusting forward deeply, pounding faster and harder until Charles was reduced to tears of joy, drowning in pleasure. His eyes are still shut tight, but his mouth was hanging open, gasps and sighs of ecstasy escaping him. He had wrapped his legs around Erik's waist, head turning about helplessly for more. Charles opened his glassy eyes and looked up at the white cloud. It had turned into a clear ball, the surface like glass and within it, was a tiny pinprick of a pale, transparent pearl. Was that a pearl? It was pinkish, slowly pulsing and to Charles' surprise, the vapor that escaped Erik's mouth as the other moaned and thrusted on top of him turned into a bluish, bubbling liquid and it entered the ball, surrounding the pearl and the pearl appeared to increase in size. To Charles' terror, the pearl spun and seemed to look like a tadpole's egg, slowly transforming.

_That...That is my child! Good Lord!_

He was thankful of the aphrodisiac because had he not been aroused, he would not have been able to continue making love to Erik after seeing that terrifying sight up above them. Erik did not seem to have noticed it yet. Erik continued to buck into him and Charles momentarily closed his eyes, biting upon his lower lip and rocking his hips up to meet the king's deliciously thrusting hips. That pleasurable sensation of his backside feeling full, the feeling of the king's sex driving into him, uniting with him made him so aroused he thought he would lose his mind because of the feverish heat of it. He turned his head from side to side, restless, unable to stop this wanting in him. He wanted to cry out Erik's name over and over, but he dared not. There were several times he almost did and before it escaped his mouth, he would desperately grasp Erik's cheeks and kiss the other hungrily, their tongues touching and playing about within their mouths, drowning out the words. Erik did much the same, to prevent himself from saying anything and somehow, they were succeeding. Even if the room's force whispered to them, seducing them into saying one word, they endured. Erik struggled with his own mind, as a malicious being possessed him, forcing him to tell Charles the truth of what happened the night King Raphael was killed. This was more difficult than any struggle he had ever faced. Too many things were distracting his mind, weakening his will.

Charles moaned and writhed beneath him, and seeing Charles fighting on, saying not a single coherent word seemed to succor him. Charles opened his eyes, but was looking at something over Erik's shoulder. Erik thought Charles was gazing at him, but he was not. Charles was seeing something up above them and he could see both the fear and desire in Charles' eyes. The translucent fetus was taking full shape in the glassy cloud, developing at an accelerated rate and Charles could see legs and arms forming, the deformed head becoming round, more human. Charles noticed Erik staring at him strangely and he tore his eyes away from the sight of their child above them, turning his attention back to Erik. He wanted to form the words 'baby' with his mouth, but was afraid that if he did, he might actually speak it out loud. He did not want to harm their child. He continued to make love to Erik, both of them exhaling more of the vapor. The glass cloud now had a fully formed baby within it and the cloud was becoming smaller, too small for its tiny occupant. The babe began to stir in the ether, brow wrinkling and face becoming more defined. Erik was now straddling Charles from behind, while Charles had his stomach pressed to the bed, his trembling legs wide apart. He uttered a shaky moan when he climaxed, but Erik was still thrusting into him. He felt so sensitive, he thought he could not stop himself from screaming in his lust. It felt so good each time Erik took him. He turned his head to the side on the pillow, his arm slightly curled at his side, sobbing in pleasure and then he eyed the baby up in the glass ball. His child was looking more like a baby now. A final vapor escaped his mouth and rose up towards his child.

Lilandra watched silently. The king and the prince's ardent love-making would have made anyone aroused. The expressions upon their faces were intense and full of lust as they writhed passionately against each other, but it did not arouse Lilandra in any way. She had given up the pleasures of the flesh long ago. She was just a sexless entity now meant to live like this until the end of time. She did however, appreciate the lovers' honest arousal for each other. She could see that the baby was fully formed. She had to halt the process now. She stood up and waved her staff before her in a sweeping arc. The room instantly dissolved into something else entirely. The walls looked like the stone walls from when Erik and Charles first arrived in Aerie, but the bed remained the same. Up above them, a distinct popping noise resounded. Charles cried out in alarm.

"Erik! The baby!"

Erik looked up in time and saw the child falling. He automatically held his hands out and he caught the babe. It cried out lustily, startled by the warm hands that suddenly held him. It was a boy. Erik smiled down at their son and he knelt upon the bed to give Charles the child. Charles was weeping quietly and with trembling fingers, he held his son to his chest, careless of the fact that he was basted in sweat and smelled of sex. The child cried on and Charles cooed at the babe softly, rocking it gently to and fro.

"Shhh, there now! Don't cry! Please, don't cry!"Charles said in a trembling voice and yet he himself was crying. This boy, was his and Erik's son; they made this child together, even though the child was not born of his flesh and blood, but of mystical vapors and the passion of his and Erik's love. Charles kissed the baby's cheek and would not let the babe go, becoming possessive of him. Lilandra held out a white cloth to swaddle the child in and Charles gratefully took it. He was not an expert, but he managed to wrap the baby, keeping his son warm. Charles and Erik remained in bed to admire their beautiful child and they murmured quietly to each other.

"This is our child Erik. Our child!"

"We should take him out of here soon and take him back to our camp in Imaya,"

Charles nodded in agreement, nuzzling the wriggling bundle of joy. The child had stopped crying and was stirring about, making tiny grunting noises.

"What should we name him?"Charles asked, his eyes overbright as he met Erik's eyes.

"We shall name him after a great grandfather of mine. We shall call him David."

"David,"Charles mouthed softly and then he kissed the baby, eliciting a grunt of surprise from the child, whose eyes are still closed. The child seemed alert, sensing their presence, but the boy did not cry. Lilandra left them alone to enjoy their son and then she came back some time later with a metal baby bottle filled with milk. Both Erik and Charles had donned their clothing, their eyes focused only their son. Lilandra handed the bottle over to Charles.

"Here take this with you. I believe it is time for both you and the king to leave,"

Charles stared at Lilandra for a moment, unsure of what to think of the woman. He felt awkward, but he thought it appropriate to thank her.

"Thank you for allowing us to have this boy."

Lilandra nodded imperceptibly. She guided them down the long passageway, not a word exchanged between them and then she waved her staff again before the wall with the runes and the bricks parted slowly, showing them the strange sight of Symkaria's forest outside. Lilandra was behaving differently after the birthing was done. She looked to be deep in thought, distant. She was no longer smiling craftily. She pointed a finger towards the exit.

"Remember, tell no one of this incident. If anyone would care to ask, tell them only that Aerie comes to those who have a need for a child, but tell them no more. Now, leave me!"

Charles thought Lilandra's mercurial behavior odd, but Erik cared not for it. He only wanted to take Charles and David out of there as swiftly as he possibly could. When they both stepped out and turned to look at the passage to Aerie, it was already gone. Erik and Charles blinked in the afternoon light, wondering how long they have been inside Aerie. David began to wail, the little boy's chest heaving with it and Charles took the metal baby bottle from within the folds of his cape and fed the baby, relieved that Lilandra had the foresight to give him this bottle. He would have to find a means to acquire milk for David. They walked off towards their vassals, unaware that Lilandra was still watching them, using the haze-like substance that issued forth from her hands. Lilandra was quite satisfied with how things had turned out and she licked her lips, remembering the delightful secret Charles had shared with her.

"Poor King Erik! What have you allowed yourself to get into? You have no idea what your prince is about to do you!"Lilandra said in a sing-song voice to herself and then she giggled. Charles had informed her...that he was going to assassinate his husband, the king.

 

Charles had a terrible time of calming the baby down, not knowing what to do. He grew exhausted as the days passed, but he patiently tolerated David's wailing and his tantrums. Charles did his best to pacify and take care of David, but he was ignorant of how to do things properly. He was ill-prepared for the trappings of 'motherhood'. Erik helped as well as they took turns in the evening to attend to David's need, but the baby constantly cried in the camp and was picky about the milk being fed to him. He was not sure if David was sick or what David needed of him. An Imayan physician has been brought in to inspect David, but the healer informed them that the child was healthy. The healer said the babe was just colicky and that it would eventually pass. Charles wanted to scream invectives in the man's face because the other did not understand the predicament he was in. The men tried to amuse the child, but to no avail. Logan's face made the baby cry louder, which caused him to be banished from the baby's room. Charles was at his wit's end over this insanity. Who knew that raising a child was this difficult? They could not head back into Erik's kingdom just yet because this was supposed to be their time away from Genosha, to bond as a family. Charles had decided it was time to get help. Charles had asked his Royal guards to go into Imayan village to acquire a book on child-rearing and perhaps, to hire a wet nurse to help with David's care. He was desperate.

Logan tried to stifle a yawn as he covered his mouth. Both he and Henry McCoy walked down a cleared path to head into the little village in Imaya that Banshee had directed them to. Banshee could not join them because he had to follow orders from King Erik to take care of another matter. They had all slept fitfully last night because the baby cried at every interval of every hour until morning. It was all Logan could do to control his nasty temper over the babe's mewling. He was Prince Charles' son after all. It was just that his patience was wearing thin because he has been deprived of sleep of the late. Henry wiped at his spectacles and placed them delicately over the bridge of his nose, walking on and seemingly unaffected by the sleep deprivation that everyone in the camp suffered.

"I sure as hell hope we find someone to help with that damned child! I can't take any more of his crying!"Logan complained.

"Patience is a virtue, Mister Logan. Do remember that!"Henry said as he walked next to Logan, keeping in step with him.

"Well I am not a virtuous man, Henry! I would have strangled the little clot if he was my own!"Logan growled and kicked at a clump of weeds, breathing harshly though his nose. Henry thought it best to answer him with silence, so as not to incense him further. They were able to find the village Banshee had directed them to and they ignored the curious stares of the human inhabitants. The humans did not say anything disrespectful and were in fact cautiously friendly towards them. They met with the leader of the village, informing the other of their mission to look for a book on Child care and a willing wet nurse for Prince David. The village lord was quite helpful and guided them into the village's tiny library, giving them the book, free of charge and directed them to speak to Achmed el-Gibar, the same old man who had sold Imayan flutes to the king.

"Old Achmed has a granddaughter, who served as a wet nurse to my family recently. She's quite reliable and I am sure Achmed would be willing to part from her since he has enough grandsons and granddaughters ready to attend to his beck and call, now that he is filthy rich!"The village lord said, laughing as he shared the story of how Achmed acquired his wealth. The village lord led them into Achmed's house, which appeared to be of a better quality than the hovels the villagers resided in. Henry greeted Achmed, informing him who had sent them and the other, in a state of manic joy hugged both Henry and Logan, eliciting an awkward reaction from both men,  while the other asked after the prince and the king, overjoyed to learn that there is an heir to the Genoshan throne.

"Uhm, we came at the prince's request to look for a wet nurse and-"Henry began hesitantly, but Achmed cut him off.

"Say no more, my furry lord! Say no more! I know exactly who can help our dear young prince!"Achmed warbled gaily, his eyes watery and glimmering with tears of happiness. Logan cast Henry an amused glance as Henry bore with the title 'furry lord'. Henry gave Logan a warning look, for the other would surely use this to taunt him mercilessly.

"Ororo! Come, Ororo! We have guests!"

A young woman whose skin was dark and clear entered the receiving hall; her hair was pure white and her eyes are dark. Her expression was serene and friendly as she greeted both men, unperturbed by their appearance. She curtsied before them gracefully. Achmed went to her and proudly patted her shoulders.

"Look at her! A vision is she not? Of all my grandchildren, I am most proud of her. She tended to me when I was of ill health, even when I had nothing. And, look at her manners? She is sure to captivate the prince's babe!"Achmed said enthusiastically. Logan momentarily forgot his exhaustion. He could not help but admire the beauty of the young woman, who smiled at them without fear. Achmed pushed her towards the men.

"Go with them, Ororo! Do me proud and care for the prince's son!"

"Are you sure grandfather? I would hate to leave you alone,"Ororo said demurely.

"Yes I am sure! Do not worry about me! I'm just an old man, out to live the last days of my life! Please, go! You have my blessing!"

Ororo turned towards her grandfather and hugged him gently."If that is what you wish, grandfather. I take leave of you, but you must care for your health. Promise me that,"

"Yes, child! I will!"

Ororo prepared her belongings afterwards and left with the men. They headed off into the desert and they arrived in time to see the prince struggling with the babe, who wailed out inconsolably. Without any further explanation, Ororo took the child from the prince's arms, gently rocking the child and then she unbuttoned the front of her gown and guided the babe to suckle at her breast. Both Charles and his men stood there, shocked because the baby stopped crying and latched on to Ororo's breast, drinking the milk she had offered. They could not believe that she would unabashedly feed the baby like that before them. Henry grew self-conscious and turned away, but Logan ogled on, attracted to the sight of Ororo's exposed breast. Prince Charles slapped Logan's arm, glaring at him.

"Both of you, go! Let me speak to her alone and Logan, how dare you! Staring at a lady like that!"

"I beg your pardon, my prince!"Logan suddenly murmured, ashamed of himself and then both men left. Charles pulled out a thin cape and offered to cover Lady Ororo, who allowed the cape to be draped over her shoulders as she fed the prince's baby with her milk.

"It's a good thing the milk has not run dry from me yet, my lord. I have recently been a wet nurse to a child in my village."

Charles sighed with relief. It was a relief to have finally met someone who knew how to care for babies and they talked at length over what Charles needed to do to care for David. He did not even need to read the book Henry and Logan had acquired for him. Erik and Banshee would be pleasantly surprised to find that their sleepless nights are finally over. The king and his vassal had left on an important matter, using the airship and they have been gone for some time.

"We must wear the same milk scent, my prince, so that the child will grow fond of you and recognize you."

"I see. I am glad you have taught me how to feed David. I didn't know that the way I fed him caused his tantrums."

"In time, my prince, caring for David will come naturally to you. Do you intend to raise more children with the king?"

"Oh no, not at all. One is quite a handful!"Charles said, giving Ororo a nervous smile.

So it came to pass that Ororo became a part of Charles' retinue and she took such good care of David that the babe thrived. The child was no longer having his tantrums, nor did he cry during the night. They have stayed for several months in the desert, with the king continuing his defensive training with the prince. On occasion, they hunted for wild boars together, for there was a great herd of them that lived in the Imayan forest. One night, Charles was awoken from his slumber by the king, who smiled at him mysteriously. David was currently sleeping in his cradle in a separate room, close to Ororo's bedside.

"Come with me! I want to show you something!"King Erik whispered.

Charles hurriedly dressed and they took the airship out into the desert, the skies above clear, scattered over with numerous stars. Imaya was quite a vast land, with so much more undiscovered wonders. They have both been to the singing sands of Imaya's beaches and visited some of the people of the land. Imaya's progression as a country was slow, which was why its established kingdom was small and unknown to any of the other neighboring kingdoms. The king knew that as time passes, Imaya will improve and progress will prevail. He will see to it.

King Erik led his prince into a place with bizarre rock formations. They walked upon the red sands quietly and then the king gestured for the prince to drop down on the sand. The king was waiting for something as they gazed at the distant outcropping of rocks. The king gestured for the prince to put on his sand goggles and his mask, so that they would be prepared should a sudden gust of strong wind blew their way.

"Why did we come here, Erik?"

"Shh! They are almost here!"

"What-"

"There!"Erik hissed excitedly and then Charles heard it before he saw it. The wind gusted over them, hard, and it blew through the rock formations, which looked like reeds pockmarked with holes. It made a haunting deep sound, the kind an organ would make, but this sound lingered longer as it echoed through the mountains of the desert. Charles' expression became ecstatic as he stared at the wondrous sight before him. A small herd of baby Acantis came into view. They looked like whales, swimming in the air gracefully. They were drawn to the sound the stones were making and no one even knew that they came into the planet to frolic among the rock formations. Charles turned to look up at Erik lovingly and then he reached to clasp the other behind the neck. They did not dare disturb the calves, only watching the amazing creatures at play. Charles had yearned to go over to them, but thought it best to just watch them. He was finally able to see real Acantis. They headed back to the airship after several hours.

"You were right, they were attracted to Imaya and this was the reason. The stone and rock formations here makes music that entices them. I spoke to a space personnel once and he told me they tried to play some music for the Acantis in space, but the Acanti did not even respond. You might say they have a different taste in music,"

"Thank you for taking me here, Erik! They are just beautiful!"Charles wept quietly, hugging the king to himself. Erik suddenly drew in a deep breath, his nostrils picking up a scent upon Charles that strangely aroused him. It was the same smell Charles had upon his skin when they made love in Lilandra's room of fidelity. He licked at Charles' neck, nuzzling his face into the prince's skin, causing Charles to moan softly.

"What is this scent on you?"Erik whispered huskily.

"It's a milk scent. Ororo said I must wear it at all times so David will be familiar with me,"Charles murmured, his face suddenly creeping up with heat. Erik kissed his throat again, sucking upon his skin and Charles shivered against him, both of them getting aroused.

"You smell so good!"Erik whispered and then he grasped Charles' chin and kissed him hungrily upon the lips, as if he wanted to eat his lips up. Charles moaned and writhed against the king restlessly, his hips grinding up against the king's hips, feeling his growing erection. The king kept on kissing Charles until he was swooning, eyes heavy with lust as he clung on to his king.

"Hmm, I suppose it's time to go back to Genosha. Don't you think so?"The king teased his prince and they both knew that once Erik was back in the Genoshan kingdom, the king would be too busy with his campaign and the kingdom's stately affairs. The king would have to leave him for months on end and Charles worried that Erik might not be able to spend time with their son. But then again, the kingdom has lain in wait for their king for months now. Charles knew he should not be selfish because Erik's people needed him. Charles gently hugged Erik and pressed his face to his husband's chest before their eventual love making.

"Yes, it is time."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the very late post on this one. Like I have said before, this fic will be quite longer than my standard of ten to thirteen chapters and because this fic is on a larger scale, I had to take my time in writing it. The focus of this chapter will not be Cherik but more on the other characters who have a role to play in the coming chapters. It is important to give you a glimpse of what is happening to the other characters while King Erik and Prince Charles are away.

 

 

Even with the king's absence from Genosha, Shaw was unable to succeed with his plans because Lady Grey was constantly foiling his schemes. While the king had been fighting in Hyborea along with his men, Shaw had spread a rumor among the nobles that the king's defenses were weak; that there was a possibility of defeat against Hyborea's strength and from this malicious slander arose rebellious factions aiming to overtake the city by force. Before the rebel nobles could commence with their plans of a revolution, Lady Grey had dispatched the king's Royal guards to invade the homes of the rebel nobles, arresting them and sending them to prison for the crime of high treason. Lady Grey had this accomplished in the span of one night and the Royal guards mercilessly used every means of interrogation possible. The nobles immediately folded over and pointed in Shaw's direction, but Lady Grey did not issue a warrant to arrest Shaw. No, not just yet. She needed solid evidence to incriminate Shaw. Shaw was not aware that the rebel leaders had told on him, or that they were all arrested and interrogated in one night. He only knew of this the day after. He was actually in bed in with Tessa, after using her body repeatedly. She was sprawled beneath him, naked, his chest pressed on top of her bare and ample breasts. Their sleep was disturbed when one of his loyal subjects barged into his room, bearing the news of what had happened.

"Did any of the nobles mention anything about me?"Shaw asked his messenger testily.

"We cannot confirm this information, your grace. When the nobles were taken in by the Royal guards, no one else was allowed entry in the interrogation chambers. We can only surmise that they were tortured into mentioning your name," The man replied in a low voice.

Tessa had already awoken and had put on a robe, careless of the fact that the grand chancellor's serf was ogling her. She returned to bed, lying on her side and listening in on the conversation, while Shaw sat on the edge of the bed, grimly taking in this news.

"Have they set up an arrest warrant for me?"Shaw said sharply, eyes narrowed.

"Our spies have received information that no such edict came from the king's chancery. Lady Grey has not given the order...yet,"

"That crafty bitch! She's up to something, I know it!"Shaw hissed and then he gripped his messenger's shoulder roughly.

"Make sure you inform all of our men of this matter. They had better keep their eyes and ears open! The loyalists will try to incriminate me while the king is away on his little sojourn,"Shaw spat out.

He was fuming over the knowledge that even though the Hyboreans were armed to the teeth and informed of the king's weaknesses and strategies, they were unable to bring the man down. There was a rumor that the king had been injured, but all was proven false when the king walked about the battlefield, resplendent and in good health. With Hyborea's defeat, King Erik's reputation was further solidified, his strength now feared by the other kingdoms within the Southern realms. In time, Lehnsherr's empire would overtake the entire planet before Shaw could even rise up the ranks. He would have to think one step ahead of King Erik and his loyal subjects before they could figure out his true motives. The messenger bowed low and left Shaw with Tessa. Tessa crawled over to where Shaw sat, massaging his shoulders.

"What are your plans now, my lord?"

"I must find out what those nobles have said while under interrogation!"Shaw muttered, still glowering with rage over this new failure.

"I shall speak with some of the former concubines. Surely they will have some information on this matter,"Tessa said in a silky voice in an attempt to reassure him.

Shaw turned his attention on Tessa, narrowing his eyes in contemplation. Tessa made good on her usefulness, aside from becoming his personal sex slave. He grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her roughly. She moaned into the kiss. He then pushed her back on to the bed and straddled her, smiling down at her insolently.

"You have pleased me quite, Tessa. Allow me to reward you!"

Tessa opened her legs wide to receive him. She began to moan breathlessly when Shaw began to buck into her; he tore away at her robe to expose her naked body, using her for his pleasure until duty calls him away from his squalid pleasures.

 

Lady Grey was alone in the king's chancery, reading a recent missive from the king; reading it repeatedly until she had it by heart. The king's army had already returned days before, after many months of fighting in Hyborea, with news that the king had taken leave of his royal duties to spend more time with his prince consort, indicating that they were intending to find a means to conceive an heir to the throne. She was shocked by this news and somewhat curious over how the king intended procreate with the prince. It seems Cyclops was left in the dark as well and so he could not give her any further information. She had called for his presence in order to pick upon his brains, to see if there was anything useful she could gather from what he had encountered while the king had been in the Hyborean encampment. A knock upon the door broke through her reveries and she called for the individual knocking on her door to come into the chancery. It was Cyclops. He stood before the table and bowed his head low.

"You called for me, my Lady?"

"Yes. You have provided me with a full report on the Hyborean incident, and I am ever so grateful for what you have given me, but I believe I need more information, in order for me to fully understand whether Shaw had any influence on the attack against King Erik or if somehow, Hyborea had gained independent access into our city to steal our war strategies,"

"How may I be of service in this matter?"

"I must see into your mind. I need to see what has taken place in the Battle of Hyborea,"

Cyclops hesitated, his expression giving way to discomfort."It is not a sight a lady of your standing should ever lay eyes on, Lady Grey. It is rather violent,"

"Nevertheless, it will give me some insight into the king's situation,"

Cyclops regarded her for a moment, but then he slowly nodded."What must I do to show you King Erik's battle?"He asked in a soft voice.

Lady Grey stood up from where she was seated and walked over to him, her eyes riveted to his face and then she spoke in a near whisper."Let me in,"

She entered his mind tentatively, not wishing to overwhelm him and then she saw everything that has transpired. She saw how the king was ambushed and what the king had done to protect his people; bearing with the pain after being mortally wounded and controlling the Hyborean sentinels which had allowed them to win the battle. She saw Cyclops' concern over the king's intent to delay his return to Hyborea to be with the prince. As she traveled into his mind, absorbing all the necessary information at an accelerated rate, she was startled out of her concentration when she saw Cyclops' current thoughts of her.

_Lady Grey is so beautiful! If only I can see her with my own eyes and not through this damnable visor!_

She did not know why, but she suddenly blushed furiously, severing the melding of their minds. Cyclops realized that she must have seen his thoughts and he began to look flustered as well.

"Forgive me, my Lady! It is only out of my admiration of your beauty that these thoughts arose from me!"

Lady Grey grew quiet as they awkwardly stood there, eyes averted from each other and then Lady Grey drew closer to him once more. Cyclops was quite a handsome man. He was different from the king because when she entered Cyclops' mind, she saw only pure intentions from within. He was a true gentleman and a good man. He wanted nothing but for the superhuman race to flourish; to not live in fear of persecution and to unify all realms. She saw that his ideals were the same as hers and the king's, if only the king wasn't so perverted and arrogant. She suddenly lifted a hand and then she reached out, gently touching Cyclops' temple, this time surprising him. She knew that all he could see though his visor was a permanent red color; his specially made visor allowed him to see the world around him, preventing him from constantly shooting lasers from his eyes. She saw that he thought his mutation was a terrible curse, for it did not allow him to see the world as it truly was and he could not even stop to admire the beauty around him. His eyes had caused him so much tragedy that she felt sorry for him. This inspired her to share with him a vision of herself in color as she looked at her reflection in a mirror. She was combing her dark red hair and her brown eyes are directly staring into the mirror above her bureau. Cyclops swallowed thickly, his blush deepening at what he saw. Lady Grey found herself smiling at him.

"Thank you, my Lady!"Cyclops whispered softly and emboldened, he reached for her hand and gently held it in his own. He bent his head close so that he may kiss the back of her hand. Lady Grey was flattered and receptive to Cyclops' admiration, but she shook herself, remembering that she must focus on her duties. She undid his hold on her hand and walked back to her seat by the chancery desk, clearing her throat.

"The information you have given me will be quite useful. I thank you for this, Cyclops,"

"Scott,"

"I beg your pardon?"

"My real name is Scott Summers. In the Royal guards' roster, Cyclops is only my code name, but please Lady Grey, call me by my real name,"

She regarded him gently and then she nodded."Very well, Scott. Thank you for sharing your mind with me,"

Cyclops bowed low, blushing and feeling strangely uplifted in her presence and then he turned about-face and left. He could not stop thinking of her face as he went about his rounds in the castle. He had been in the king's service for years, but he rarely had any audience with Lady Grey. He could only admire her from afar and even then, he thought that she was beautiful. He had never afforded himself to have feelings for someone else before. Until now. He was always too focused on his duties to have such thoughts. Today was a memorable day for him. He was able to see her face up close; he was even able to hold her hand in his and these thoughts of her caused him to become distracted. His mind kept wandering back to her, with fantasies of romancing her running through his mind, making him blush. He wanted to kiss her lips and embrace her. He wanted to hold her hand as they walked side by side. He struggled with his feelings throughout the day that it did not escape the notice of his colleagues.

"Cyclops, are you feeling well? You look a mite flush,"Havok commented as he stared at his brother's face. Even Riptide had to agree, causing Cyclops to flush even deeper.

"I-It's nothing! I...I passed by the halls near the kitchen and it had been stiflingly hot there tonight!"

"Well that's a first!"Havok said dryly, eying his brother and giving him a knowing stare.

"What do you mean?"

"You, trying to be evasive! I believe you are enamored with someone, brother. You cannot hide that from me!"Havok teased him and Cyclops puffed up angrily at that.

"I am not being evasive! Whatever gave you that idea?"Cyclops cried out petulantly.

"Brother, when you attempt to lie about something embarrassing, you stutter. I've known you for far too long!"

"Wait, you mean to tell me, Cyclops has tender feelings for a lady? Who could this lucky maiden be?"Riptide asked, intrigued to see his superior acting like this. Cyclops had always been so formal and stalwart. To see him getting flustered like this over a woman was a story worth sharing with the other guards. If only Banshee were here, Riptide knew that he would tease Cyclops to no end. Cyclops distanced himself from them, uttering an injured sniff, but causing his brother and Riptide to chuckle quietly at his expense.

Cyclops fumed and glowered at them, even though he knew it was pointless. What they said was the truth. He was enamored with Lady Grey. He pondered upon several excuses he could make just so he could go back to her, but he shook off his thoughts. Like Lady Grey, he wanted to attend to the needs of the kingdom before his own needs. He sent his own spies out in the city to find out if there was anyone out there stirring a pot of trouble for the Genoshan Kingdom. He had sent a notice to the king's Royal Army about the state of affairs. They had to be informed of what several of the nobles instigated while their king was away; the rebellion Lady Grey had been monitoring covertly while the king and his army had been out to war. He was also investigating a matter of his own that he found worrisome. When he had Hyborea under the Genoshan army's control and they were clearing out the fortress of weapons, he found copies of Genosha's war plans and documents that Hyborea had no business having access to.

He had relayed all of this information via a report sent to the king on a secure channel. He awaited instructions from the king and after a few hours of waiting, he received a missive and was advised to coordinate with Lady Grey on the matter. The king seemed unperturbed when he responded, such was the trust he had placed on Cyclops' and Lady Grey's shoulders. Cyclops stared at the letter for a while and then he blushed again. Perhaps the fates were at work here, giving him the opportunity to be near his "lady". He hastily groomed himself as well as he could, and finding no means to get rid of the visor, he carefully walked back into the king's chancery to face Lady Grey, his heart racing in his excitement. It was to his dismay that Lady Grey was not alone this time. She was with one of her chancellors, Robert Drake. Chancellor Drake was seated before a much smaller desk than the one Lady Grey owned.

Lady Grey brightened at the sight of him, a soft smile forming upon her lips.

"Scott! It is a pleasure to see you again! What brings you back into the king's chancery?"

Cyclops hid his disappointment that they were not alone and went straight to Lady Grey's side, kissing the hand that she had willingly held out for him. Was it his imagination or did she seem to glow at the sight of him? Her face looked slightly flushed and her eyes are glimmering. Cyclops kept a straight face and he held out the documents he had prepared for her.

"Lady Grey, I have spoken with King Erik and he has given me his instructions. He asked that I pass it on to you, along with his missive. I would also like to share a copy of the report I have sent to the king,"

Lady Grey took the documents from him, their fingers grazing softly, causing Cyclops to feel giddy all of a sudden. Lady Grey began to read the documents quietly. The only sound in the room was Chancellor Drake's scribbling and the rustling of papers as Lady Grey continued reading. When she was done, she looked up at him, troubled.

"We both know who the culprit is, but we cannot take any action against him yet. If I ask for an audience with Shaw, he will do everything in his power to prevent the meeting from going through. He fears my gift. I have attempted to read him before, but he is protected by cloaking device that repels telepathic powers,"Lady Grey spoke in a grave tone of voice, flipping through the report once more. She looked up and held Cyclops' gaze.

"Were you able to interrogate anyone in Hyborea who would know about the Genoshan documents? Or of why it came into their possession?"

"I have made the attempt, my lady. There is a possibility that the Hyborean generals were all killed during the siege into the Hyborean territory. I fear some of them might have even escaped. None of the Hyborean prisoners would dare to admit where they acquired our documents, even under the threat of pain or death,"

"And the king has advised you not to bring this information up with our warfare department?"

Cyclops nodded."The king suspects that Shaw had his own people planted among our strategists,"

Lady Grey reached up to rub her fingers at her temples, closing her eyes momentarily. "If it was not for our king's cockiness, I would have had Shaw strung up at the gallows for his treachery!"

"I beg your pardon, my lady!"Chancellor Drake said indignantly, bringing his spectacles down and staring at her in disbelief. He could not believe that he would hear Lady Grey speak in such a ruthless manner. Lady Grey narrowed her eyes at Chancellor Drake.

"Chancellor, you must know this by now; our king has such confidence in his powers that regardless of his absence, he assumes everything would go his way, as long as he has his loyal subjects, ready to risk their lives for his cause! He cares not if a rebellion almost caused pandemonium in his city and he does not care if he is surrounded by traitors and assassins. Can you not see how our high and mighty king revels in danger and intrigue?"Lady Grey said vehemently.

Chancellor Drake was baffled by her vehemence. He was made privy to her conversation with Captain Cyclops and he found it odd that she was behaving in this manner. Lady Grey had always been gracious and reserved. She had never voiced out any strong opinions like this, especially not about the king.

"It ails me that the king could be this...this careless! I am his adviser, but he cares not to listen to me! I feel at times that I am just his puppet, nodding when he pulls at my strings!"She said in a rising voice. Even Lady Grey could not understand this sudden vehement anger rising from within her. Perhaps she behaved this way because her duties mattered more than her own needs. Being near Scott...confused her and made her feel reckless.

"May I make a suggestion, my lady?"Scott murmured softly, breaking through her quiet fury. She turned to look at him again, her brow furrowing and her expression growing quizzical.

"Yes?"

"If the prince consort became your ally, perhaps you could use the prince's influence on the king to guide our liege's actions. I do not know if you have taken notice of it, but the king is quite receptive to the prince. He listens to whatever Prince Charles has to say,"

Lady Grey was still skeptical. She leaned back in her chair to fully face Cyclops.

"That may be, but I have my doubts over your suggestion,"

"How so, my Lady?"

"It is not really the prince I am worried about, but the allegiance of his queen sister and her princess consort. Princess Emma is a telepath like me. A powerful one at that. She had used her powers while residing in the king's summer palace to cloak both her and the queen's thoughts. Why would Princess Emma do such a thing if they weren't hiding something? Oh, at times I feel as if I have been thrust into a lion's den and I am circling and struggling to keep my wits about! It is exhausting to keep up at this pace!"Lady Grey said, wringing her hands into the skirt of her gown, her face creasing up with worry.

Both Cyclops and Chancellor Drake looked at each other. They both shared the same musings over Lady Grey. She had put up with the king's behavior for far too long and now with the king's absence, her patience had worn thin. Lady Grey herself had realized what her outburst implied and she exhaled a weary breath.

"Please forgive me. I have grown weary of these trying circumstances that would have been avoided had the king used his common sense,"

"My lady, there is nothing to forgive. We all know of your accomplishments for the king and I do share your views on this matter,"Cyclops said in reassurance, reaching out to touch Lady Grey's shoulder and she smiled at him warmly.

Chancellor Drake just shook his head slowly and returned to his writing. Cyclops noticed that he had kept his hand on Lady Grey's shoulder, longer than necessary and he hastily pulled away from her, blushing.

"I shall consider your suggestion, Scott. The prince is a reasonable young man and quite intelligent too. Chancellor Drake, when the prince returns and continues with his studies under your tutelage, perhaps you can educate his highness in Genosha's current political situation. If he became privy to the matters of the state, he may be able to advise King Erik on what he needs to do. Mainly, to remove Grand Chancellor Shaw from the kingdom's service. Once Shaw is removed from his office, it would be much easier to bring his crimes to light,"

Chancellor Drake nodded minutely at this."Very well, my lady,"

Lady Grey lifted her head and met Cyclop's gaze once more. A meaningful exchange passed between them, but Chancellor Drake did not seem to have noticed it.

 

Queen Raven had a faraway look in her eyes as she stared out at her courtyard from over her balcony table, confused and out of sorts. She loosely held a missive in her hand while waiting for her princess consort to join her for breakfast. Her flimsy, yellow silk gown fluttered slightly in the light breeze, along with her red hair, but the wind did not soothe the growing turmoil within her. Princess Emma suddenly made an appearance. She sauntered in through the doorway wearing a pure white bodice that exposed her legs and a fur-trimmed cape, the maids bowing low as she passed them by and then she took up her position in a cushioned chair next to her queen. She immediately noticed the queen's agitation.

"What is it, my queen?"

Queen Raven did not answer, she turned her troubled eyes to princess Emma and handed her the letter she had received from her brother. Princess Emma read the letter through and her own expression fell.

"He...he has a son? Born by him and king Erik? How is this possible?"Princess Emma caught wind of the very same anxiety that befell her queen. Queen Raven slammed a fist upon the table and her vassals jumped slightly in fear of her wrath, looking at each other with worried glances.

"This wasn't part of the plan! How could this have happened? The plan was to kill that bastard king and raze Genosha from the inside! Something happened! His real memories failed to surface!"Queen Raven hollered out angrily and her servants took their cue and left the queen and her princess consort to their wrath.

"What do you intend for us to do about it, my queen?"Emma said in a low voice, her brow furrowed with concern over the state of her queen.

"What can we do? We can do nothing! He was supposed to activate his own trigger! We cannot simply go over to Genosha and release him from it! This was all his idea, after all! And now the fool has birthed an heir to Genosha by that misbegotten devil of a king!"Queen Raven shouted, sweeping her hand violently over the table and causing the silverware and the fruit-laden bowls to crash to the marbled floor. Emma remained silent, sitting rigidly in her seat and letting the queen continue with her tantrum. The queen drew in a sharp breath, her face darkening in her rage and she stood up from her chair, stomping over to the balcony and gripping the stone railing tightly that she caused it to crack. She was close to tears over this awful news.

"Charles, you fool! How could you do this to me?"Raven said in a strained voice and then she suddenly began to weep, feeling helpless over the entire situation. Princess Emma remained quiet for some time and then she stood up and hugged Raven from behind, whispering soothing words in her ear.

"Shh, no use crying over it now, my love. There is still a chance that Charles will fulfill his mission. The spell placed on him was just a touch too strong. We must bide our time. I'm sure eventually, he will be released from it and once his true self surfaces..."Emma trailed off and Queen Raven turned to face her. Emma was smiling malevolently and Queen Raven returned the smile. The thought of bringing King Erik down, using her brother to deceive the king and break his heart made her feel quite satisfied. What does it matter if Charles had a son by that bastard king? It would only give them the legitimate opportunity to take Genosha over. It was just a matter of time, and time was on their side.

 

The citizens of Genosha were overjoyed by the news that King Erik now has a son, born between him and his prince consort. They do not care what method was devised to achieve this because this meant that a true Lehnsherr would be a successor to the throne and that the Royal bloodline shall endure; which could only mean that King Erik's legacy and ideals will continue to protect them. There was much rejoicing and hubbub as preparations are being made before the King and his prince consort's return. Several of the nobles who were still loyal to the king had commissioned luxurious gifts to be made for the babe. Even the common folk had ventured to prepare something for the little prince. The streets of Genosha became even more effulgent as the citizens scrubbed the cobblestone streets and gave every surface a layer of fresh paint. Ribbons and garlands were hung from every house and window using the king's colors of red and purple and the prince's colors of blue and white to symbolize unity. Within Genosha's castles, there was much hustle and bustle as they prepared for the Royal family's return. Lady Grey was far too busy with the affairs of the kingdom that she had assigned Moira Mactaggert, a Royal chambermaid who had served King Erik the longest, to oversee the preparation of a nursery and to deck the halls and the entire kingdom in finery, for there would surely be a grand celebration once the king and his prince arrives.

And, Lady Grey had chosen wisely, for under Moira's critical eye, everything was prepared meticulously and with much care. She presided over the decor used in the little prince's nursery and made sure everything was of the finest quality.

"No, we do not use satin for the baby's blankets! That would not keep the babe warm enough! Cashmere will do!"Moira scolded one of the maids who decorated the baby's crib.

"But, ma'am the color does not go well with the satin pillows,"The maid replied, holding the blankets out for Moira to see. Moira took the blankets from her.

"Let me remedy that," Moira then tucked the cashmere underneath the satin blanket and the pale yellow cashmere partly showed to give a good contrast to the silvery blue satin blanket.

"There, that looks satisfactory. The prince will surely love these colors!"

The maid bowed her head towards Moira."Thank you, ma'am,"

"Well, carry on then!"Moira beamed at her and made her rounds to oversee the rest of the maids decorating the nursery. Shadowcat, the prince's personal bathing attendant had been relegated to a different duty while the prince was away. She worked as a cleaning maid and due to her fondness for the prince, she worked hard to clean the halls and to air out the prince's bedchamber. She mused about the prince as she toiled. Working in the kingdom had been a privilege, but having to serve such a sweet and kind prince made the work even more fulfilling to her. She wondered what the baby would look like;  a part of her was curious over how the babe was conceived. She had heard of talk in the kitchen that the babe was birthed using the powers of a witch called Lilandra. If so, the babe would be a very special child, born of magic and the union of a human and superhuman. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of seeing the Royal family all together.

Cyclops also had his men prepare themselves. He had advised them to don their finest uniform and to be on their best behavior for the king on the day that he arrives. They were ordered to patrol the hallways and to make sure that all was in order. The Genoshan army, under the orders of King Erik's generals walked about the streets, on guard for any disruption or disturbances. Only Shaw and his own men were not pleased with the festivities because it would mean that security would be tightened and their movements closely monitored. Shaw was well aware that he was being monitored. The only reason he was confident that his position was not compromised was because he was never arrested or accused outright of any crimes against Genosha. He gloated on the knowledge that they would find nothing incriminating against him. All they had were the words of the imprisoned rebel nobles and hearsay. Tessa's information had proven useful in easing his mind on the matter. He went about his business, chin held high and he smiled knowingly at Cyclops who could only glare after him silently as he passed by the king's most loyal dog while the other had been strutting about the halls and their paths crossed.

Fuming, Cyclops entered the king's chancery without knocking, somehow startling both Chancellor Drake and Lady Grey. Recently, Cyclops had become quite a fixture in the chancery and Chancellor Drake had commented on this dryly once to Lady Grey. Chancellor Drake it seems, did not understand the Royal guard's motives in coming to the king's private offices. He had thought that Cyclops constantly came into the chancery to discuss strategies and plots with Lady Grey. Lady Grey did not make any effort to correct his musings. Cyclops glanced over at Chancellor Drake and then to Lady Grey and Lady Grey immediately knew what he wanted to happen. Lady Grey shot up from her chair.

"Chancellor Drake, please continue. I must go with Captain Scott to discuss a private matter regarding the kingdom,"

"Of course, my lady!"

Cyclops opened the door for her, allowing her to walk ahead of him and then they both walked sedately towards the king's library. When the door closed behind them, Lady Grey threw her arms around Cyclops and they began to kiss passionately. They did this for some time while leaning against the door. Cyclops was the one who pulled away, gasping lightly.

"We must control ourselves, Jean. If we continue-"

Lady Grey placed a hand over his lips, shaking her head weakly. For months now, they have been secretly seeing each other and it frustrated her to no end that Scott refused for them to go any deeper. A part of her was proud of him for his self-control. He had informed her that he wished to marry her and that he did not want to mar her chastity just because he was swayed by the heat of his passion and that their duties come before any personal desires. He did not even need to tell her that. She saw his thoughts and knew that he meant what he had said. She drew away from him slowly.

"I understand, Scott."

"We have been successful in claiming all the territories surrounding Genosha. Before we reach the second circle of the realm, I shall ask the king for your hand in marriage and formally present myself to your family. Only then could we truly be together. We can have a family of our own,"

Lady Grey placed a hand over her own mouth and she nodded at this, tears slowly coursing down her cheeks. She was overjoyed to know that Scott will do everything in his power to keep his promises to her. She reached for both his hands and kissed them, smiling up at him happily.

"Yes! Dear God, yes! I want that more than anything, Scott!"

"I'm glad to hear of it, my lady. I've come to meet with you because I have devised of a plan to ensnare Shaw. All we have gathered of him so far were useless paper trails and rumors. We need concrete evidence to have him deposed and arrested. He does not always stay in his chancery and I am sure there is evidence in that room that will support our suspicions,"

Lady Grey's eyes widened."You mean to break into his chancery?"

"Yes! It has come to that! We have been going in circles with this crafty bastard and I have grown weary of waiting for the king to make an announcement to have Shaw arrested. We cannot focus on claiming the inner realms if we have him to contend with at the same time. We all know he has been plotting to overthrow the kingdom for a long time now. The only way to hasten the process is to gather all the necessary evidence!"

"But, Scott! King Erik has signed a decree to allow the chanceries and the council to keep their privacy; a warrant to search his offices cannot be granted without probable cause,"

"Exactly, my lady! We do have probable cause in this instance,"

"What do you mean?"

"I know of an individual who is not only light of hand, he is swift of foot. He can steal the evidence we need without sounding the alarms. He is the son of a former concubine of the king, Pietro Maximoff. Do you remember Lady Magda Maximoff? Before the king had banished all his concubines, she had left the harem to live on her own in the hills outside of the kingdom. I met her son while we were recruiting for troops and Lady Maximoff had asked that her son be pardoned from joining the king's army. He has shown me his skill while we were in their cottage,"

Lady Grey narrowed her eyes. She did recall of one concubine who had dared to leave the king's service. That had been sixteen or seventeen years ago. Lady Maximoff had informed the king that she had to leave the king's service to care for her sick father and King Erik had allowed her to leave. She had been one of his favorites back then. Lady Grey looked into Scott's mind and saw what Pietro was capable of. He was gifted with superhuman speed. Her face lit up at the realization of what his skill could do to help them. Elated with this plan, she suddenly reached for Scott and planted a lingering kiss upon his lips, kissing him with such a passion that Cyclops nearly swooned, his thoughts swirling with the pleasure of her touch and her nearness.

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I know this was my much awaited fic and it took a while, but I'm posting an update now. Apologies for the delay. I've been very busy. Hope this chapter makes up for it somehow :) <3

 

King Erik and Prince Charles arrived in Genosha, using the same airship that had taken them into the Imayan desert. They did not land in the outer airstrip that the king often used when he returns from war. They landed in the king's private hangar instead. During their landing, Prince Charles cooed softly to his son, kissing his sweet, little face and hugging the child to himself to reassure him. This was his son's first flight after all. Prince David rarely cried and has an inquisitive and tender nature, all due to Ororo's aid in raising him. For this reason, Prince Charles had arranged for Ororo to join them in Genosha and she is now a permanent part of his retinue.

Ororo clothed the little prince in a gold and dark blue robe made of silk and Charles decided to wear the same colors as his son was wearing. The robes that he and his son had donned were woven in Imaya, while King Erik wore the traditional garb of his kingdom, using the same royal colors of red and purple, his ever-present cape swept up in one arm and he was wearing his helmet. When they stepped out of the airship, a grand salute awaited them as King Erik's royal guard surrounded them and his soldiers stood at attention, the cavernous hangar echoing with their salute towards their sovereign and his prince. At the end of the path, the captain of the royal guard and the king's adviser, Jean Grey, awaited them. As usual, Grand Chancellor Shaw was nowhere to be found.

Cyclops bowed his head low, placing one fisted hand to his chest, close to his heart."Sire, we are glad that you have all returned to us safely,"

Erik nodded magnanimously in return and then Lady Grey stepped forward to curtsy before the king. She reached for his outstretched hand to kiss his ring.

"Your majesty, welcome back."

Lady Grey lifted her head and her gaze immediately went to King Erik's child, her eyes wide. The child squirmed within Prince Charles' arms while surrounded by their personal attendants, Logan, Henry McCoy and a dark-skinned woman she had not seen before. The woman was apparently a new member of the prince's entourage. Yet it was not the nursemaid that troubled her. It was the infant prince. The child...has powers. He was a telepath like her and the child was aware of her heritage as well and grew still in the prince's arms, gazing back at her solemnly.

Lady Grey went to Prince Charles and curtsied before him."My prince, it is good to see that you are well. May I ask the name of your child?"

Prince Charles held his son up proudly."This is Prince David, a true son of Genosha and Shi'ar, born by me and the king,"

"Did you know that your son is a telepath, my prince?"

Charles' startled expression answered her question and it surprised the king to know of this too.

"No. How...How did you know that?"The prince asked softly.

"I can sense his thoughts. He's strong. He's very strong."

"Ah, I am blessed indeed!"The king said, somewhat relieved that the boy was showing his true heritage even now. He had initially thought that the boy would still need time to develop his powers. He even considered the likelihood that David would have no powers, but regardless of the boy's possible ancestry, Erik loved him unconditionally. On the other hand, Lady Grey's sudden disclosure of the boy's power unsettled the prince instead of giving him joy.

"Why was I not able to sense his powers?"The prince said, troubled.

"Your mind has a black void from within, my prince. The child cannot communicate with you because of this. Nevertheless, he loves both you and the king dearly and he knows you are both his parents. He tells me that Ororo is a latent superhuman and that she has yet to show you her powers,"

Just when the king and the prince thought the child would hold no more surprises for them, Prince David shocked them to their core. Both men turned to regard Ororo; the woman was aghast to hear of this news herself. Lady Grey curtsied before them quickly.

"Do forgive me for causing such a stir over Prince David. I believe this is a matter we should discuss later once we are all in the Royal household. I must, however, ask for your time. If you may, your majesties, attend the procession that awaits you outside,"

"Must we show ourselves to them? Surely the people will understand that my family needs to rest after our tiring journey,"The king said dryly because he noticed Charles' unease. Charles quickly reached for his arm and gave him a warm smile.

"My lord, it is necessary for us to accommodate our people. It is our duty. I am sure they want nothing more than to share in our joy now that we have a son. They have prepared a warm welcome for us after all. Let us show our gratitude for their efforts."

The king held his gaze, pleased to see Prince Charles' noble dignity, finally nodding to grant his prince's wish. King Erik gestured towards his adviser to lead the way. Their retinue followed, still somewhat stunned by the news Lady Grey had shared. Perhaps the one most affected by this is Ororo herself. It has rendered her speechless. Despite this, she continued to walk along with the rest of the royal family's retinue. Lady Grey led everyone through the great halls of Genosha's castle, where the king's knights and servants greeted them with joyous cheer, proudly gazing at the babe until their group arrived at a passageway that led to the king's private stables. In order for them to make their way through the parade, a gilded carriage awaited the royal family.

"Your majesty, all our men are in place to ensure your safety. The carriage has a force field, should anyone attempt to attack you,"Cyclops informed the king.

King Erik smiled at Cyclops, satisfied that the procession went about smoothly and grateful for the captain of the guard's foresight. The king mounted the carriage with Prince Charles and Prince David in tow and then Cyclops activated their vehicle. Using a remote device, Cyclops navigated the carriage and when the gates of the stables opened up, a loud, cheerful roar arose from the crowd waiting outside, along with claps and hoots of joy. The masses also raised flags and effigies of the royal family's image and waved these objects about with rapturous glee.

Erik had grown immune to revelries and parades that it no longer held any appeal for him. With a calm demeanor, he waved serenely at his subjects and smiled in a perfunctory manner. Thus, it startled him when Charles waved with such enthusiasm while holding their son in one arm. Charles even lifted the child up for all to see, giving everyone a winning smile.

Of course, this was Charles' first parade. Seeing his prince consort deliriously happy made him happy as well. Charles' enthusiasm was that infectious. Erik decided to match the prince's zeal and waved and smiled at his people in much the same way until they arrived at the end of the procession, which came to a halt in the town square. The king could see that the Genoshan citizens had outdone themselves for this event. The houses were freshly painted, the streets shining and clean. Every surface gleamed as if new and festooned about are garlands of royal flags fluttered under a bright blue sky along with banners that hung from the eaves of every home and fresh flowers cascaded from the windows upon the top of the spires, a fragrant rain falling gracefully over the scene. Erik felt a swell of pride come over him once more, seeing the beauty of his city.

As blissful as the entire event appeared, the prospect of disruption kept the royal guards vigilant, doing their utmost to maintain order in the parade, along with the assistance of the imperial army. Therefore, the royal family remained in the safety of the carriage while protected by an additional barricade. The people had arranged several performances for the king and the prince consort, the royal court informed of this beforehand by the township leaders. Eventually, the first program commenced. Children led up the town square's marble stage began to sing for the royal family. Charles' face lit up, a delighted smile forming upon his lips, as he embraced his son to himself. He listened eagerly, genuinely pleased to hear the soaring and melodious voices of the children. Erik regarded him with warm affection, overjoyed to see his prince so happy.

When the children ended their song, a circus troupe came on stage. They performed a vigorous and acrobatic display that left Charles enthralled. Afterwards, an illusionist took to the stage. He mesmerized the crowd with wondrous feats of optical illusion and trickery using his superhuman powers. A musical orchestra followed his performance thereafter. The event came to its conclusion when the entire cast came on stage to perform a symphony of their initial performances in a harmonious fusion of visual fanfare and musical resonance. Consequently, when they had finished, a wave of applause arose from the crowd, along with joyous shouts and cheers. King Erik then stood up; he began to clap his hands enthusiastically, to show his gratitude for their efforts and that he was much entertained. One of the king's advisers asked him to impart a speech to the crowd, to bestow his gratitude for their endeavors. Erik thought it best to do so.

From the carriage, Erik addressed the crowd; he thanked them for their warm welcome and their rousing performances and then he informed them of the reason of his long absence. He introduced Prince David, the heir to Genosha's throne and then he praised his adviser and captain of the guard for their hand in keeping the peace. He kept his speech brief and then he invited the people to join him in his castle to celebrate further. Shouts of approval arose from the crowd and then Cyclops navigated the carriage, taking the royal family back to the stables. The king hastily alighted from the carriage, taking Prince Charles by the arm and then he led the other down the castle halls, heading off to the throne room, closely followed by their retinue. The king strode with purpose towards his throne and sat down, his expression grave. Charles sat in a low stool close to the king, rocking the baby about gently.

"Before I face my people again, Lady Grey, please continue with what you have divulged about my son. It seems knowledge of this has troubled both my prince and Lady Ororo,"

Lady Grey curtsied before the king."My lord, what I have said was not meant to bring any disquiet into your hearts. It has shocked me as well when Prince David spoke within my mind, loud and clear,"

King Erik narrowed his eyes. His son was sentient, born knowing. It is a rare instance wherein a child of their race would manifest their powers so soon. It was unheard of. The common knowledge among their kind is that the dominant bloodline of the parent would have influenced a successor's skill, Similar to how King Jakob's power influenced his skill to control metal. Therefore, Charles' apprehension was understandable. Regardless of his human heritage, Charles was knowledgeable in the ways of Homo Superior, the superhuman race. "How is it possible that I have a son with telepathic powers?"

Jean Grey spoke in a quiet voice, keeping her head bowed low."I do not know the answer to that, your majesty."

"Perhaps, my lord, Lady Lilandra had a hand in this,"Prince Charles suggested. King Erik appeared to consider this, his expression thoughtful. Seeing Charles so perturbed earlier after he learned of David's unusual gift, he had come to the conclusion that it all came back to the empty gaps within the prince's mind. He and Charles had discussed the black void within Charles' mind in the past. This was after they returned from Aerie and the prince had been adamant that he had no knowledge of how this came to be. Jean's ability could only delve so far into Charles' memory system and the prince could not possibly be lying. Erik thought that Queen Raven had done this to her own brother, but the question remains. If she was responsible for Charles' stolen memories, why would she do such a thing? Charles regarded him quietly from where he sat, curious over his concern.

"Perhaps you are right, my prince. I would not put it past that woman. She did mention that children birthed in Aerie would one day do great things,"

Charles embraced his son to himself as his eyes trembled with emotion."It troubles me that she has such power over us, for even after we have parted from her, she haunts our thoughts,"

"Charles, she may be a crafty witch, but she has kept her end of the deal. As long as we hold to the promise we had made with her, no harm shall come to David. Lady Grey has promised to steer clear of our memories of Lilandra and Aerie,"

The prince nodded at this, somewhat relieved. However, they still have the matter of Ororo's hidden powers to contend with. The prince gestured towards David's confused nursemaid. Ororo hesitantly stepped forward and knelt by the prince's feet. Charles placed a hand upon her shoulder.

"You are among friends, Ororo. Should your powers reveal itself, you will receive guidance from your own kind, now that you are in Genosha. The people here have naught but compassion and acceptance for all. As you can see, I am a human and yet my king has affections for me."

"My lord, it frightens me,"Ororo whispered.

Charles patted her shoulder affectionately."In time, your fear shall pass. For the nonce, live as you have always lived and accept your sovereign's support,"

Ororo nodded demurely."Thank you, my prince."

She reached out to kiss the back of the prince's hand and then she stood up to return to her place among Charles' attendants.

Meanwhile, Queen Raven was in an airship headed for the Genoshan territories. Erik had invited her to attend the evening feast to celebrate Prince David's birth. Erik had thought of asking her up front about Charles' strange malady, but he had realized that with David coming into their lives, he could not possibly go to war with Shi'ar. Besides that, he has grown to love Charles deeply. He would not want any enmity between their kingdoms driving them apart. The king decided to put the matter to rest for now. He turned to address his adviser.

"What we have discussed here, remains in this room, until we have gleaned further insight into David's ability. We have a banquet to contend with at the moment. Jean, I take it we have guests coming to Genosha from other kingdoms?"

"Yes, your majesty. The royal court has invited them at Grand Chancellor Shaw's behest,"

King Erik grinned mirthlessly at this. In his absence, the chancellor behaved like a cavalier yet again. They only have a few more minutes before the court officials entered the throne room. The king suddenly turned to stare at his son, sitting upon Prince Charles' lap and he could see the babe gazing at him directly. He realized that his son understood the events that occurred around him. He had always thought that David was staring at him blankly, but now he knew that David was an intelligent babe, self-aware and sensitive. He reached out and held David's hand in his.

"My boy! You've caused quite a stir! You are truly a son of mine!"Erik said as he chuckled and the babe gurgled laughter in response, smiling sweetly. Charles giggled, joining in on their fun, using the balls of his feet to cause his legs to jitter. David seemed to enjoy it when he does that. Erik drew close to whisper into Charles' ear.

"Thank you."

Charles smiled at him gently."For what, my lord?"

"For giving me such joy,"

Charles blushed softly at Erik's sudden show of affection. He lowered his lashes, looking away. He wanted to say more to his king, but he was unable to do so. The court officials have arrived and they demanded some time with the king. They prattled on about the concerns of the kingdom and they clamored for the king's attention. They spoke loudly over one another; they assumed that if they did so, the king would notice them first. They had no idea that they seemed to squawk like hens. Erik exchanged a meaningful stare with Charles and then he rolled his eyes to face his officials.

"Settle down, you lot! I'll address the matters of the court one at a time! I have just arrived and you act like nagging wives!"The king said in a biting tone, causing the prince to chuckle. Charles attempted to hide his amused grin by bowing his head low. The court officials simpered and fawned over their king as they offered up apologies. They did not understand that it aroused their sovereign's displeasure even more. Erik released a weary sigh. He stood up, bade everyone else to retire for the meantime while he stalked off to the assembly hall to speak with his court officials. Of course, Lady Grey and Cyclops trailed after him.

Charles took this opportune time to meet with his maidservants and to introduce Prince David and Ororo to them all. As soon as he stepped out into the hallway, he saw that the servants stood about; some peered at him from the corners, curious. They greeted him with respect, but he saw that it was Prince David that drew their interest. Charles allowed them to touch the babe's hand and to coo and speak to him playfully until Moira and Shadowcat broke through the throng of servants. Moira excitedly came forward and she curtsied before the prince.

"Prince Charles! Oh, I am so glad that you are finally here! This is your son? He's such a beautiful child! Oh, truly, a child makes for a happy household! Please, come with us, my prince! We have so much to discuss!" Moira cried out cheerfully, leading the prince by the hand and shooing the other servants away. Due to Erik's frequent absence from Genosha, Charles had taken it upon himself to befriend the staff of the castle and they had grown to adore the prince because he was a kind and gentle soul. This was the reason for their familiar regard for the prince. Charles drew his hand away from Moira's grasp to get her attention.

"Forgive me, Moira. Let me just take this moment to introduce a new member of my retinue,"Charles said and then he reached for Ororo's hand. Logan and Henry McCoy had kept their distance. They allowed the servants to crowd about the prince, but they did not leave their duty to guard their liege.

"This is Ororo Munroe, a maiden of Imaya. She is David's nursemaid."

Ororo stepped forward and curtsied before them all."It is a pleasure to meet you all,"

Moira warmly reached for her hand and smiled in much the same way."No need to be so formal! Welcome, sister!"

It surprised Ororo when Moira suddenly hugged her fiercely, causing the prince to giggle softly. Moira then led them to the baby room the servants had organized for Prince David and Prince Charles exclaimed over the room, delighted by its elegance. Moira puffed up proudly at this, pleased that the prince found the design agreeable. Moira informed Charles of the current affairs in Genosha and the state of the castle, leading him from one room to another to show him that they maintained the household well during the king and the prince's absence. Shadowcat came forth and curtsied before the prince.

"Prince Charles, a moment please. Lady Grey asked for you. She said you must prepare yourself for tonight's event,"

Shadowcat straightened up and lifted a hand up, and she gestured for the prince to follow her."I have prepared your bath, my prince."

Prince Charles nodded towards her in a gracious manner. He handed Prince David to Ororo, asking her to tend to the child and to change his clothes. Moira offered to assist her and the two women left with the babe. Prince Charles advised his guards to keep a close watch on his son and they left his side to do so. The prince followed Shadowcat to his private bathing chambers and when he finished with his bath, Shadowcat guided him back to his own bed chamber. It has been a long time since he had entered this room and he marveled at how unchanged it had all appeared. He headed straight for his closet, knowing what he wanted to wear for this event. He wanted to wear that same jeweled dark blue robe he had worn before for Erik. Shadwocat assisted him as he dressed. She found a suitable white shirt and dark brown trousers that would go well with his outfit. Charles appraised his appearance before a mirror and when he found his ensemble satisfactory, he followed Shadowcat, the other led him to the grand dining hall and he uttered a delighted cry when he saw Queen Raven and Princess Emma. He would recognize his sister's bright blue skin and warm yellow eyes anywhere. Ororo was already in the hall. She stood close to the king as he introduced his son to the other guests. Charles rushed towards his sister, hugging her affectionately.

"It's been so long,"Charles murmured against Raven's shoulder and it was all he could do not to burst out sobbing. He had missed his sister so. He reluctantly released her to embrace Emma as well and then he led them both to introduce them to Prince David.

"This is my son, Prince David."

Charles handed the child over for Raven to hold, but the child suddenly began to cry. Charles wondered why David would be upset when Raven held him. Perhaps the child was not used to seeing a Phaser. However, this should not be the case since the child enjoyed playing with Henry McCoy, his blue-furred guard.

"I'm sorry! I think David is just not used to strangers yet. He'll eventually warm up to you, sister!"Charles said as he rocked David in his arms, calming the babe.

"Of course, brother. think nothing of it. I've missed you. I don't know what it is, but it seems as if you have changed!"

Charles ran a hand through his hair, with David cradled in one of his arms."Have I now?"

"Oh, indeed, you have! I hope the king has treated you well,"

Erik suddenly joined their group. He stood close to Charles, placing his hands upon his prince's shoulders."You needn't have worried, Queen Raven. As you can see, Charles and I are deeply enamoured with each other."

"Would you say that every day is like a honeymoon between you two?"Princess Emma rejoined. She reached for Queen Raven's hand and exchanged a look with her. Erik turned to gaze at Charles with affection.

"Yes! I would not trade this bliss."The king said in a throaty voice and Charles' cheeks grew flushed, a cherubic smile now formed upon his lips.

"Even for absolute control over the entire planet?"Queen Raven challenged, meeting the king's stare when he looked up after she said these words. He saw the veiled malice in her eyes, but he did not wish to argue with her. He had set his mind on this because of Charles and David. After all, this was a night of happy moments. He did not wish to ruin it. He thought a moment before he answered her.

"Every political act that I do, every feat that I have accomplished in war is all for unity. This is one gift I wish to bestow my beloved; peace. There shall be no peace if one faction and then another would throw discord at each other for conquest and tyranny. If all are under one rule, then these violent tendencies shall be easily extinguished."

"Do you mean to tell me that the Lehnsherr monarchy can accomplish such a feat? Such ideals are impossible! Where there's light, there shall always be dark. Where promulgators of peace come forth, warlords shall rise to oppose. It is the way of the world, my king!"Queen Raven countered.

King Erik grinned insolently in response."Of course I do not expect complete submission. Surely, it would disappoint me if I did not encounter some challenger time and again. That would be utterly boring! Indeed, let the warlords come. They shall have a taste of my steel, in more ways than one!"

His response prompted several guests to laugh uproariously and thus, Queen Raven could not push further with a repartee. The king left them hastily to exchange pleasantries with his guests and visited the tables where his citizens dined. He asked after their families and mingled with the common folk, letting them see that he is a benevolent ruler. Charles gazed after him with pride. Ororo suddenly came forth to inform him that David needed to sleep, for the hour had grown late. Charles gave his son a parting kiss for the night and watched as Ororo carried the boy to his nursery. He spent most of the evening with his sister and with Princess Emma. He informed them of the events that recently occurred to him, telling them about his sojourn with the king in the Imayan desert and he told them about Aerie, but he did not divulge much details about Lilandra, even when they prodded him over David's birth.

"Charles, are you well?"Raven asked. Her question startled him. She was staring at him intently as she searched his face.

"I'm fine, sister. Nothing is wrong. I'm very happy with Erik. He has treated me well,"

'So, you love him?"

Charles smiled at her gently, his love for Erik shining from his face."Yes, I do."

His answer wounded Raven deeply, but she kept her face expressionless. She looked away instead, towards the king, who laughed and exchanged stories with his people some distance from them. Charles' true self did not emerge as they had planned. She found it odd that he did not break free from the spell when he was capable of doing so. His power was immense, sufficient to kill the king and take over the city and yet he chose to continue with this farce. She wanted to shake his shoulders, to urge him to remember his mission. He looked at her with wide and innocent eyes instead. What lunacy could have gotten in his head that caused him to fall for his enemy?

In disgust, she bade him a good evening, wishing to retire to bed early with Princess Emma. Charles' face fell. He wanted to spend more time with them, but he understood that they must be exhausted from their journey. Shi'ar was quite a distance to traverse and when he had first arrived here in Genosha, he took to his bed immediately. He kissed his sister's cheek and they parted ways. Charles had decided to retire to bed as well. He had such a tiring yet eventful day. He informed a servant to notify the king of his desire to rest and decided not to wait for the king's response. He was heading towards the main door when Logan called out to him.

"Sire, where are you going?"

"I would like to retire to my bed chamber,"

Henry McCoy and Logan drank ale and exchanged stories with the king's royal guard and they had enjoyed the banter immensely, but upon hearing the prince's intention to leave, both men began to get up from their seats. Charles lifted a hand up, dismayed by their actions.

"No! No, please! Continue with what you are doing. You all deserve a welcome reprieve. I am sure I will be safe once I have tucked myself in bed,"Charles said with an embarrassed smile.

"Very well, my lord. We shall remain here!"Logan said promptly. He did not want to leave his fellows. These men had become his friends and besides that, no harm could come upon the prince within the safety of the castle walls. Outside, the king's imperial army marched about the streets and lined up the main gate of the city. Not once did they leave off their duty to join in the revelry. Genosha's safety is utmost in their agenda. This assured Henry and Logan and so they continued with their exchange of banter with the royal guards.

As Charles walked silently down the halls, a sudden thought troubled him. As he rounded a corner, he realized that the captain of the guard and Lady Grey were missing from the feast. Where could they be?

 

 "Scott!"Lady Grey moaned into Cyclops' ear as the other kissed and caressed her. They are both in a state of semi undress. Lady Grey's bodice was half-open, which exposed her breasts to her lover. She was sitting upon her own table in the king's private chancery. She had rucked up the skirt of her gown, with Cyclops running his hands over her smooth thighs. Cyclops was still wearing his visor, but it did not hamper their desire to touch and kiss each other. Cyclops trailed kisses down the length of Lady Grey's throat, licking as he went and Lady Grey surrendered herself over to him. She reached for Cyclops' cheeks to plant kisses upon his luscious lips. She then reached for the front of his trousers, intent on doing an act that they had avoided for so long.

Cyclops broke free from the kiss, gasping."Jean, we shouldn't. if we make love now and conceive a child-"

"Scott, I need you!"Jean moaned, desperate for Scott to end the hunger in her. It frustrated her that Scott wound not yield to her. Scott gently caressed her shoulders and pecked kisses on her open lips.

"I know and I'm sorry. Perhaps I could please you in some other way?"Scott offered. Lady Grey did not want to be left wanting and so she reached for Cyclops' hand and guided it towards her crotch. A silent exchange passed between them as Lady Grey held Cyclops in her dark gaze. Cyclops' hand went through the gap of her underskirt and sought her sex. She was already so wet. He used his fingers to please her and she moaned and writhed against him, aching to reach climax. They had to stop because they heard the doorknob turning. Shocked, they quickly gathered themselves and with no place to hide, they headed for the balcony. The hinged balcony door slid silently on its gears as Cyclops partially closed the door. It was cold outside, but dimly lit. No one would see them unless the person who entered the room ventured towards the balcony. Cyclops hoped that whoever disturbed his heated moments with Jean would go away soon. Lady Grey had done her utmost to make herself appear proper. She restored her bodice and closed the catches and hooks with shaking fingers. Some small part of her grew strangely excited, her heart fluttered within her chest at the thought that they would be caught like this. Then, they heard voices. It was not one person, but two. It was actually the king and his prince.

Charles had assumed that he would have a quiet time in bed because the king still reveled with his people. The prince did not have any idea that the king followed him. However, King Erik did not know that Shaw followed him as well. The other intended to have a word with him to mobilize men from the his imperial army to do Shaw's bidding. He had a plan underway and it required the services of the king's men. One of his spies had informed him of Lady Grey's absence from the feast. She was last seen heading off to her own bed chamber that night. To his surprise, someone suddenly grabbed him and embraced him. He turned to face the culprit at his back and saw that it was King Erik.

"My king! What are doing here?"

King Erik kissed his cheek gently. He nuzzled his nose at the back of Charles' neck. He smelled so good all the time. "You left me back there. What was I to do?"

"Forgive me, my love. I did not wish to disturb you. I had left with one of our servants to inform you that I am going to my bed chamber. I would like to sleep early,"

"No you are not!"King Erik said with a playful murmur and he opened the door to his private chancery where they had stopped. King Erik began to kiss Charles hungrily, lapping up hips lips. Charles moaned into the kiss, pleasantly surprised by Erik's desire for him. Shaw saw them kissing, disgusted at seeing their affection for each other. It sickened him for some reason. He decided to converse with the king at a later time. King Erik pushed Charles into the chancery and locked the door, but Shaw did not wait to see what they would do. He strode off to head back into his own chancery.

"Erik, we shouldn't. Not here!"Charles said, his expression wary and nervous. Erik ignored his pleas. He reached for Prince Charles' wrists and drew him close in a torrid kiss. Charles was defenseless against him. He melted against the king; he wrapped his arms about the king's neck of his own accord. Erik fondled Charles through his clothes and Charles could feel the heat rising from his body, just with Erik's tender touch. The king enjoyed seeing him in this state, when he could not deny his own lust. Erik ran his hands over Charles' shoulders, the heat of his intention glimmered from his eyes.

"I recall you have worn this robe before. It suits you, my prince, but I think it would suit you best if I undress you here,"

Charles shook his head in denial."Erik, what if someone suddenly enters the room and-"

The king cut him off by diving forward with a frantic kiss, sucking on Charles' red lips. The passing of time did not put a damper on his passion for the other. His desire for the prince burning deep within and it engulfed him. He parted the prince's robes, along with the high-collared white shirt and then he began to take off the prince's pants and the other could not deny him. Charles' eyes trembled. Erik saw the fear in them, but he saw lust as well. Erik allowed him to keep the robe on, however, his chest exposed to the king, his pale pink nipples pertly thrusted out and down below, his manhood was half-mast, aching for the king to go on. Erik grinned insolently upon seeing his erection and the prince blushed hotly at his appraisal. The king was guiding him towards the desk and Charles' backside pressed up against the edge of it.

"You can't deny what your body wants, Charles. You want me. You want...this,"Erik said in a guttural tone and then he went down on the prince. He took the prince's cock into his mouth and he could feel the other start in shock with each suck. The king let his tongue dribble over the head of the prince's sex and the other howled out in his ecstasy. Charles opened his legs wide to allow the king to continue. His head lolled about, mouth parted open as he writhed and moaned, the pleasure sending a thrill throughout his burning body. His hand trembled as he reached up to stifle his cries, eyes half-lidded and tearful as he gazed darkly at the king. King Erik sucked him harder and the prince nearly hollered out at it. It felt so good. It was sweet torture as the king worked on his manhood until he orgasmed. Charles uttered a wobbly cry as he climaxed, letting it go through him. He closed his eyes momentarily and he savored the pleasure shocks. When he opened his eyes, the king began to unbuckle his belt. The prince knew what was to follow.

"My prince, you keep leaving our love oil elsewhere that I am forced to carry your bottle for you!"The king said in a husky voice, chiding the prince gently. Erik took the bottle out of his pocket, letting it dangle by its chain before Charles and then he opened the bottle and poured a generous amount of oil upon his fingers. Charles bit down on his lower lip, his eyes glassy with his lust. He parted his legs once more as he took his seat upon the king's desk. Erik entered him with oiled fingers, to seek the pleasure gland within. Reduced to desperate gasps and moans, the prince offered himself up as the king jabbed repeatedly at that gland. His come flowed copiously from him, smeared upon his belly as he orgasmed repeatedly. Charles could only lean back on the table, his knees trembled as Erik continued to pleasure him. Charles threw his head back, eyes shut tight as he cried out wantonly. He sounded as if he was hurting, his cries breathless and frantic. The sweat poured from his skin; it dappled his brow and darkened his hair. It trailed wetly down his neck as he kept his head thrown back.

Someone was forcing the door open. It was Chancellor Robert Drake. He entered the room to retrieve several papers. He was in some deep reverie that in short, he failed to hear the lustful cries from within the room. Albeit ordered to participate, he did not join in the feast. For this reason, it shocked him out of his wits upon seeing the king naked. He saw the prince naked as well, except for the robe that still hung loosely about his pale shoulders. The prince was past the point of caring. He thought he would go mad if Erik stopped what he was doing. He held Erik's hand in place and he undulated his backside upon Erik's fingers, the expression on his face lustful, cheeks and neck flushed a deep red. Erik uttered an annoyed sigh and turned to face Chancellor Drake, for the other could only gape at them stupidly, frozen by his shock.

"I was about to mount my beauty here. What now?"

"P-Pardon me! A thousand pardons, your majesty!"Chancellor Drake cried out in a tight voice and closed the door quickly. Erik chuckled and turned to look down at Charles. Charles began to chuckle as well, finding the entire affair amusing now.

"Mount me? Am I comparable to a chair or perhaps a beast of burden?"Charles said dryly. He pretended to be annoyed.

The king caressed his hip slowly, his fingers trailed seductively upon Charles' pale and smooth skin."A sexually desirable beast,"The king said in a throaty voice and then he bucked into Charles, his actions sudden and frenetic. Charles' arms grew helplessly weak and he could not brace himself upon the table any longer. His back was now pressed on to the table as Erik rhythmically began to pound into him. Charles could not even utter any cries. He could only gasp breathlessly as Erik's length delved deep into him, the muscles in his backside quivered and tightened in pleasure as Erik took him

"Ahh! God!"Charles moaned, his hips surging forward for more. His eyes grew crazed as Erik reached for his sex; the king squeezed and fondled his manhood to life, his hand working up and down over Charles in an obscene manner. Charles turned his head from side to side, his mouth slack. He began to scream incomprehensible cries of lust, his backside aching for more. The king had him on the floor after and Charles was so lost in a state of ecstasy that he could not recall how he came to be on the floor. His mind and his body only had a singular desire. He wanted the king to wipe all sense from him, to take him into that dark and lusting place within himself. He went down on all fours and he thrusted his backside towards the king, his expression lewdly expectant.

"Please Erik! Please! More!"Charles growled out and he screamed lustily as Erik obliged him. They made love upon the floor for a long while, until Charles fell asleep in the king's embrace. When Erik was sure the prince was asleep, he immediately got up from the floor and walked towards the balcony. He quickly pushed the sliding doors apart and out there on the balcony, Scott and Jean had just finished with their own sexual congress. The cries of intense lust and pleasure coming from the king and the prince had driven them both into doing the act. Mortified, Lady Grey began to gather her clothes over her naked body. Likewise, Cyclops hurried to draw up his pants, ashamed that the king had seen him in such a state. However, the king did not even seem surprised to see them there. He was actually aware that they were in the balcony and he sneered at them.

"Finally did the deed, eh? Now come inside. We have important matters to discuss,"

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Been a while since I posted here, but here is the new chapter. I will do a quick follow up soon for chapter 11. Thanks for your continued support :) I'll keep on writing this one until I finish it :)

"What's got you tongue-tied? Speak up!" The king demanded when Cyclops remained silent all throughout their conversation.

"Forgive me, Sire. I just...I just wanted to clarify, how did you know about my relationship with Lady Grey?"

"It was quite noticeable, especially with the way that she was looking at you when I saw you standing beside her in the hangar. She's evidently itching to get you in the sack!"

At this, Lady Grey blushed furiously and bowed her head low. The king turned to stare at her, smiling insolently.

"What are you so flustered about? It was about time you cavorted with a worthy hot-blooded male and what a perfect choice you've made, selecting the captain of the guard! In this instance, you have my blessing!" The king said loftily and then he tipped her a lewd wink, causing Lady Grey to blush even further.

"My Lord, this is most embarrassing,"Lady Grey murmured.

The king gloated over their discomfort, intending to tease them for a while longer, but had decided to cease for the nonce. He gathered them in this room in the first place to discuss an important matter of the court. A secret exchange had passed between them before his return to Genosha. However, much to the Captain of the guard and the Royal adviser's mortification, King Erik deliberately barged in on them, using the prince as his ruse.

"Nevermind any of that! This is the only opportunity we have to discuss our plans. I've read through the reports you have sent me and you've made mention that Shaw is planning to use a secret weapon against us,"

Cyclops' expression suddenly became grim. He enlisted the assistance of Pietro Maximoff, the son of a former concubine to stealthily enter Shaw's chancery when the Grand Chancellor left to go about his business. Pietro successfully filched important secret documents and then he whisked them off into the king's chancery for Cyclops and Lady Grey to peruse, without Grand Chancellor Shaw ever finding out that something is amiss. It was during this point that Pietro discovered the secret Shaw had hidden beneath the floorboards of his desk. Pietro created a hologram copy of the weapon using his photographic goggles to serve as proof and shared the image with Lady Grey and Cyclops. They of course, recognized the weapon which was supposedly lost during the first war in King Jakob's time.

"Yes, your majesty. It was the lost weapon."

King Erik squinted at this, his brow furrowing. "Just as I have thought. We'll have to prepare against it then,"

The notorious weapon was the creation of one of King Jakob's weapons engineer. Because of the weapon's instability, the engineer hid it and King Jakob decided not to eke out its location any further, knowing that the weapon was far too dangerous for his army to use.

In a moment, Lady Grey managed to gather her wits, wanting to chide the king for making such poor decisions.

"My King, with all due respect, we wouldn't have to play this cat and mouse game with Shaw had you followed my advice to have him arrested!"

The resentful edge in her voice did not escape King Erik's notice, but nevertheless, he had to make her understand his reasons for keeping Shaw close. Even though she could see into his mind, she did not delve into his innermost thoughts, which would have driven his point across. Jean had always thought his actions were without much forethought and although he could not make her see otherwise, he had hoped that she would eventually realize it by herself. Perhaps she had refused to probe his mind due to her fear of becoming too invasive and disrespectful towards him. He understood that she had to set a limit. The king spoke to her patiently.

"Jean, we have discussed this before. We need to keep Shaw on a short leash as my father had advised me to do. The closer we keep him in our sights, the easier it will be to determine his actions. You know I cannot just decide to have him arrested or tortured into admitting his crimes,"

Owing to Shaw's position in the court and the length of his service under the Lehnsherr regime, having him arrested recklessly might serve to throw dissension within King Erik's kingdom; instead of doing good, it might harm his sovereignty unless he had solid proof of Shaw's traitorous actions. Furthermore, should the other allied kingdoms gain knowledge of this, they might see this as a weakness on his part. He must tread carefully before making any rash decisions.

"Sire, you endanger your people with these antiquated ideals! I have nothing but the utmost respect for our former ruler, your father, but this haughty pride he has instilled upon you will lead us to ruin! You're known as a ruthless king! Surely you can extend the same ruthlessness to a traitorous snake such as Shaw!"

The king regarded Lady Grey solemnly. He turned his gaze from her to Cyclops, then back to her again, rubbing at his chin, his other arm braced before his broad chest, contemplating her words. Lady Grey held his gaze steadily, unfazed and unafraid of his anger. He was not offended by her outspokenness, for he inferred that her sincere concern for the well-being of his kingdom stemmed from a deep desire for equality and peace. She had already sacrificed her own happiness to see his ideals brought to reality, for they were also her own. He then flung a quick glance on to his slumbering husband, lying on the carpeted floor. The king had draped the prince's dark blue robe over his body to keep him warm and Charles remained unconscious.

"Perhaps we have allowed Shaw the run of the kingdom for far too long. You've made mention of damnable evidence gathered from his office?"

Lady Grey exhaled a relieved breath. Finally, the king was listening to her advice!"Yes, your majesty!"

"Give us a look,"

Lady Grey nodded demurely and drew close to touch the king's temple, showing him what they have gathered from Shaw's office using her telepathy. Touching allows her to direct her telepathic powers gently into someone's memory system, but if she uses it from a great distance, her powers could deal a terrible blow. Hence, she preferred touching the king's temple rather than intrude his mind with a sudden surge of her power. Satisfied by what he had seen, the king drew away from his adviser, nodding slowly to himself.

"This is quite sufficient, Jean. Cyclops, I want you to gather our most trustworthy men. I will issue a formal edict to have Grand Chancellor Shaw arrested and brought before a Royal tribunal. No need to wait for his removal from service. You and your men will see to his immediate arrest. However, we will have to wait until each one of my guests have left. I don't want any scandal to spread further over this,"

Cyclops could not prevent a smug smile from crossing his lips. He relished the thought that the time of reckoning has finally come for Shaw and that he would be the one to arrest the haughty bastard. He bowed low before the king, placing a fist close to his heart.

"Very well, your majesty!"

"He'll surely put up a fight, my lord!"Lady Grey exclaimed, unnerved by the sudden realization that a violent scuffle might possibly ensue.

King Erik gave Lady Grey a devilish grin."I'm counting on it!"

Lady Grey sighed. Just as she had dreaded. She wanted Shaw arrested and hanged, but knowing King Erik, he had something cruel underway for the Grand Chancellor. "Your majesty, perhaps it would be best if we go about this with discretion. Perhaps an amicable surrender without any bloodshed,"

Erik just laughed at Jean's capriciousness, giving her an incredulous stare. One moment she was a ruthless vixen, ready to draw blood and now the thought of violence suddenly made her squeamish.

"Perhaps not,"The king said insolently, his smile quite large and full of teeth. Lady Grey shuddered at it.

Cyclops excused himself to accomplish his king's request to gather trustworthy men who will arrest Shaw. Meanwhile, the king and his adviser remained in the chancery to discuss the details of their plan. They did not notice Prince Charles' hand moving of its own accord because his back was facing them. It was strange indeed. It was as if Prince Charles was awake, but he was actually still asleep. His hand moved to unclasp one of his arm bands, the one on his left upper arm. The moment he did so, his eyes snapped open, but instead of his usual bright blue eyes, the whites of his eyes, including his irises became clouded over with black ichor; his eyes looking like tar pits and gleaming with an oily and murky sheen. His face became expressionless and cold, full of a calculating hatred that was so unlike his usual tender countenance. A dark thought flashed within his mind and then he clasped the arm band back in place and returned to sleep as if nothing untoward happened. Why did Charles do such a strange thing? What was the purpose of it? The answer lies with Shaw, who at that moment sat alone in his chancery, leisurely drinking a glass of wine. He winced and started in shock.

 _He knows_ , came the sibilant words that sounded as if someone spoke them into his ear, but it was actually inside his head. Where did that thought come from? Surely, it was not his. It was alien to him and yet the words served to alert him, as if someone telepathically sent him a warning. Shaw trembled in his seat, his face crumpling up with rage. That voice—both irrefutable and decisive, regardless if it was alien— convinced him of the king's knowledge of his plans. He must act _now_.

Through his own communications system, he quietly spoke to someone from the other end of the transmission using his receiver.

"Get our people ready. It seems the king has finally sniffed us out. He'll certainly attempt to arrest me once the Royal guests have departed from castle. Let's show them chaos before they do so, shall we?"Shaw said in a smug, self-satisfied voice, his smile cruel and his eyes narrowing at the deviousness of his plans.

 

The air was rife with tension, as if the events about to unfold carried with it a sense of foreboding. The very skies threw a dreary cast over the scene, compounded by a metallic and earthy tang rising from the ground. However, the prince did not seem to even have any inkling of it. The people about him were evidently on tenterhooks as they went about the pretense of normalcy, but the prince remained oblivious. He had woken up beside his husband in the king's bedchamber, his naked body covered by a sheet. Erik had carried him into their sleeping quarters last night and slept beside him. Charles woke Erik up with kisses and gentle touches, laughing and talking quietly with the other. Erik reluctantly rose from the bed to prepare for the day, albeit hiding his eagerness to confront Shaw. Thereupon, Charles went straight for David's nursery, the moment he had finished having breakfast with his king and making himself presentable for the court. He donned a dark brown robe made of crushed velvet, cropped breeches and a cream-colored shirt, his ever-present arm and ankle bands in place. He took David from Ororo to tend to the babe, feeding him and bathing him. The maids were tense as they assisted the prince in these tasks, but still, he had no presentiment that his peaceful world would soon become shattered to pieces.

After dressing David up, Charles had intended to meet with his sister before she left for Shi'ar. Erik had informed him earlier that the guests will soon leave to return to their own kingdoms, for none had decided to take an extended stay in Genosha. Indeed, he could already hear the preparation of their airships outside. Charles longed to have more time with Raven, but he understood that she had her own duties to address. Charles walked down the long corridors with his retinue to see to his guests departure. Beside him walked Ororo and trailing after them were Henry McCoy and Logan. Charles held David in his arms and as he walked, he crossed paths with Grand Chancellor Shaw, the other surrounded by four guards as they walked purposefully, perhaps on some business for the king. Shaw grinned at the prince in a leering and unpleasant manner and even though Charles did not like the chancellor at all, he looked towards the other when the chancellor greeted him.

"You highness,"Shaw said, slightly tilting his head.

"Your grace,"Charles greeted him in return. They both behaved in a reserved and perfunctorily polite manner, whereas in truth, they felt an equal abhorrence for each other.

It was not just because Shaw dismissed his presence, that did not go past his notice, it was due to the malignant aura emanating from Shaw. Erik was constantly displeased with Shaw for one reason or another. Surely, his husband did not behave that way because he disliked the chancellor on a whim...it was just something devious about Shaw; something unscrupulous that even David can sense it. David began to cry in Charles' arms, the moment Shaw faced them. Grand Chancellor Shaw ignored the child altogether, smirking insolently as David wailed and then Shaw continued to saunter off with his men.

_Bad. Bad man._

Charles started in shock. A voice spoke within his head. It was not his voice. It was young and evidently frightened. Charles realized that the voice in his head was David's voice. His son spoke to him for the first time! But how? Charles stared down at David with wide eyes, stopping in his tracks. His retinue stopped as well.

"Sire, is something wrong?"Ororo asked, concerned.

Charles met Ororo's eyes, goose flesh crawling upon his skin, then his gaze went back to David. David became still in his arms and held his eyes with a penetrating stare, his solemn and adult-like expression not melding well with his young and childish features.

"David spoke to me,"

Henry McCoy and Logan exchanged mystified glances.

"What did the young prince say to you, your highness?"Henry said.

"I think my son just told me he disliked Grand Chancellor Shaw,"Charles replied, drawing David close and kissing his son's forehead to soothe him. David grew calm and nestled himself in his father's arms.

"That goes without saying, my prince. Everyone hates that pompous, self-important peacock!"Logan said tersely. Shaw was not within earshot any longer allowing Logan to freely mock the Grand Chancellor.

Henry just rolled his eyes at Logan’s lack of self-restraint and since they made no more mention of the matter, they continued to walk towards the outer grounds of the kingdom. They headed towards a passageway which will lead them into the outer airstrip where the airships of the guests have docked. King Erik was already there, waiting for them. Charles' assumptions were correct and Erik had already begun to bid the guests farewell. Charles made his presence known and offered his thanks to their guests and also bade them farewell. The last ship to leave was Queen Raven's ship.

"Take care of yourself, my dear brother and write to me once more. Visit our kingdom soon and take David with you!"Queen Raven whispered fiercely in his ear, her voice filled with emotion. When Charles drew away from her, he could see the tears in her eyes. He gently wiped them away as he held her in his arms.

"Indeed I shall, sister! My king has given his permission,"

A sudden change came upon Raven's behavior. She appeared to wither at the mere mention of King Erik.

"Did he now?"Raven said with cold edge to her voice, causing Charles to frown at her odd behavior, but she smiled warmly at him again and she even kissed David. The babe flinched at her nearness, about ready to burst into tears if she dared to pick him up from Ororo's arms, but she did not. She gave King Erik a tepid farewell and climbed the airship along with Emma. Charles waved at their ship a while longer and when they have disappeared from his sight, Charles turned to face Erik.

"Well, everything will be as it is, Erik. You'll be off on your war strategies and the battlefield once more. Inasmuch as I wish for you not to part from me, I know we have our duties to uphold,"

Erik smiled at him gently and placed an arm around his waist."Even so, my love. We will have our moments, small as they are...we will make them all count!"

Prince Charles gave him a tentative smile as they walked towards the passageway that would lead them back into the castle. Erik bent close to his head and whispered in his ear.

"Charles. Will you grant your king one wish?"

"What is it, my love?"

"Stay with David in the nursery for the day and don't leave the room for anything. My men and I are off to arrest Shaw. Possibly he might retaliate. I shall come back for you both once I am done,"

Prince Charles directly met Erik's eyes and he noted the quiet urgency in Erik's expression. Something dangerous was about to happen, which would require Charles and David's safety. He did not question Erik any further. He nodded immediately in agreement.

"Of course, my love. If you wish it so,"

Erik pressed his lips together grimly, keeping his arm about Charles' waist."I'll post guards around the hallways. Your guards will remain with you as well,"

The prince caught the king's tension and realized something violent might soon occur within the kingdom. King Erik ushered Charles and David into the nursery, accompanied by Ororo and joining him within the nursery were Henry and Logan. Erik kissed and embraced both Charles and little David, murmuring assurances and then King Erik ordered the guards outside to keep a close watch on the nursery. Only then did Charles notice the tension of the guards. Charles held David in his arms, his eyes riveted to the closed door. He prayed that Erik and his men would remain safe.

 

Flanked on both sides by his Royal guards, Erik and his men quickly strode towards Shaw's Chancery, where the other pretended to read scrolls and decrees. King Erik appeared calm, but underneath his calm demeanor, he anticipated Shaw's retaliation. When one of Erik's men opened Shaw's door without announcing themselves, allowing them to enter the room, Shaw was predictably not alone.

The king had an idea that Shaw would sense his impending arrest. Erik knew because of Jean. She showed him images of something underhanded happening within the kingdom that morning; hushed whispers among several guards, the exchange of secret stares and the strange activity of several soldiers outside. They were not in their usual posts and they failed to report to their superiors. The king was initially gleeful at the thought of arresting Shaw, but he was no longer laughing when he realized that his people’s safety was now compromised. He wondered how Shaw had gained knowledge of the arrest. Despite this, Erik and his men made their own preparations and went ahead with the arrest.

"Your majesty! What a surprise! How may I be of service?"Shaw greeted the king, feigning astonishment. Two guards were in the room with Shaw, their faces flat and expressionless. Supposedly, these men guarded the grounds, however they were standing close to Shaw, weapons at the ready. It was quite evident why they were in the room. A palpable, almost electric tension passed between both parties as they anticipated the coming violence.

King Erik exhaled a weary sigh."Apparently, you take your own king for a fool, Shaw. Let us not drag this on,"

"Sire, whatever do you mean?"Shaw said in a low voice dripping with insincere innocence, however his expression betrayed his wicked thoughts. King Erik nodded towards Cyclops.

"Arrest him!"

Cyclops gestured to Banshee and Havok. All three of them stepped towards Shaw.

"On what grounds are you having me arrested for, my king?"Shaw said in a sing-song voice laced with intimidation, for which the king coolly remained unaffected by. King Erik answered Shaw with unyielding silence, his eyes frightening and murderous. Shaw slouched back in his chair, steepling his fingers together, as if the announcement of his arrest was a trivial matter to him. King Erik's men were slowly circling the desk on both sides. Cyclops addressed the guards standing close to Shaw.

"Stand down and move aside, lest a charge of high treason be wrought upon you!"Cyclops commanded the men, his fingers positioned over the modulator of his visor. The uncommunicative guards held their ground. Only their eyes swiveled about tensely, a visible sheen of sweat basting their foreheads. The impending confrontation was about to escalate.

Then, everything that happened afterwards, happened quickly. The first to make a move was the guard on Shaw's right. Instead of using his weapon, he fired beams from his hands on to Cyclops. Cyclops immediately deflected the beam with his own laser beam, emitted from his eyes and suddenly, the two of them were exchanging fire. Banshee made a move to use his sonic scream on the guards, but the guard at Shaw's left turned to smoke and shot through the air, slamming up against Banshee's mouth, preventing him from using his power. Banshee collapsed to the floor, struggling. Hiding at the back of Shaw's couch on the other side of the room were two more men, who fired at the king and his Royal guards, but Colossus, a superhuman capable of transforming his body into steel blocked the laser beams and deflected them, while Havok joined in on the fray to assist Colossus. King Erik remained where he had stood, eyes blazing at Shaw while the other remained seated. Without awaiting orders, two more Royal guards came forth to apprehend Shaw.

A loud scream and an explosion from outside momentarily drew the king's attention, along with some of his men. They looked towards the window. A riot had broken out on the streets as Shaw's faction finally exposed themselves and openly clashed with the Genoshan imperial army. More screams and then a great cacophony arose, with buildings razed to the ground and explosions bursting forth across the citadel. Shaw began to laugh tauntingly and the king had finally had it with his treachery. He summoned metal bars and chains all over the kingdom into Shaw's chancery and incapacitated Shaw's men by enshrouding them in metal. The smoke superhuman received an attack from Lady Grey, who remotely viewed the event and used her power to stun the smoke guard. Only Shaw remained untouched. King Erik knew Shaw's powers. Shaw could absorb energy and if they dealt any violence upon him, he can deflect it back tenfold. However, the king was also aware of Shaw's weaknesses. Shaw cannot deflect repeated and simultaneous blows in the same instance . The king gestured to his men and they all attacked Shaw. As the king had predicted, Shaw would use the secret weapon to prevent them from arresting him. Shaw had the weapon hidden beneath his table. He pulled it out and the room became flooded with a greenish light. It was a hand-held nuclear reactor. Shaw drew on its raw power and smashed all the Royal guards out of the way. Some of them fell unconscious while some became stunned only for a moment, groaning and squirming among the rubble on the floor. King Erik staggered back, squinting at the immensity of the impact, but he stood his ground. He attempted to use his power to draw the reactor out of Shaw's reach, but Shaw just chuckled at him.

"It is not metal, you royal oaf!"

Possessed by a raging indignation at Shaw's actions, the king launched himself at the other. The king had already donned his armor, which will defend him against Shaw's attacks. He grabbed at Shaw's collar and slammed him up against the wall, causing the stone wall to crash and crumble to pieces. The fighting now occurred all around them. No sacrilege is greater than this to King Erik. To see his peaceful kingdom in a state of pandemonium and ruin. The king, aided by his men continuously attacked Shaw. The fighting now commenced in the great halls. Erik winced when he realized Charles and David could hear this chaos. He wished that he had sent Unus to protect Charles, but Unus was on a mission elsewhere. He could only hope for his men to keep Charles and David from harm.

David's cries grew louder as the explosions and the screams resounded outside. Charles held his son to his chest, rocking the child to and fro, doing his best to soothe David. Charles' face crumpled up in his agony, fearful for Erik's safety.

"Shh, there now! Please don't cry! It will be alright!"Charles whispered to David, although he did not believe his own words. He struggled to fight back his tears. He was so worried for Erik. He looked to Logan and Henry McCoy and then he looked at Ororo. The impact of the explosion from outside caused the domed ceiling above them to crumble.

"It is not safe here, my lord!"Ororo exclaimed as she gazed at the dust showering them from the cracked ceiling.

Charles had to disobey Erik in this instance. David's safety was his current priority.

"Come then, let us all move away from this location!"Charles announced and Logan opened the door, evidently itching to join the action and expecting an attack. The guards outside the nursery had abandoned their posts. Charles held David in his arms as they carefully walked down the length of the hallway. David began to wail afresh. Charles seized up, his expression one of utter shock and despair. Even with his limited vocabulary, David managed to send his thoughts to Charles that conveyed his worst fears.

_Father. Hurt. Scared. I'm Scared._

Charles realized that David meant his husband, the king. Erik! No! My Erik!

He could not take David with him, fearing the child might get hurt. He led everyone into the library, where the foundation appeared strong and unaffected by the explosions. Charles handed David to Ororo.

"Stay here and keep David safe! The king is gravely hurt. I must see him!"

"Sire, the king is fighting! You might get hurt as well if you go!"Ororo replied, confused and worried by the violence occurring all around them.

"Please understand. I need to be with Erik! My husband needs me!"

"Let us go with you, Prince Charles!"Henry McCoy offered, but Charles shook his head vehemently.

"No, you have to protect my son!"

"Who will protect you then, Sire?"Henry asked him, concerned for his liege's safety.

Charles could not wait a moment longer."You shall stay with David then and I will take Logan with me. Do not question me any further! My husband might be dying and I want to see him!" He cried out desperately.

"If you wish it so, my prince,"Henry murmured, seeing how fraught with worry the young prince was.

Logan and Charles headed off in the direction where the king and his men went to earlier. Charles ran beside Logan, distraught over Erik getting hurt, but then his attention became drawn to a harrowing sight outside the window. He stopped running to gaze at the state of their kingdom. Even from this distance, he could see smoke and fire rising from the city. Strewn all about the demolished streets and rubble are the lifeless bodies of their people, possibly friend or foe, their blood and torn limbs scattered about as well. He could see humans and superhumans fighting violently in the streets. It was only yesterday when these people had joined them in celebration and now death and despair visited them all.

 _Why is this happening to us?_ Charles thought despondently, tears streaming down his face. It broke his heart to see Erik's kingdom like this. Another explosion juddered the ground and a loose rubble from above almost fell on top of Charles. Charles ducked too late to avoid it, but Logan moved with a preternatural speed to aid him. Logan stopped the rubble from falling upon his liege by using his Adamantium claws to block the offending debris, tossing it aside with a growl. In so doing, he tore his prince's robe and shirt, leaving the prince bare-chested, exposing his slight body. Only then did Logan notice that the prince was barefoot, his ankles twinkling with the gold bands.

"My lord! It is dangerous  for us to stay here! We must move!"

Charles nodded, wiping at his face. He allowed Logan to lead the way until they arrived at the center of a War zone. Erik and several of his men used their powers to attack Shaw. Shaw's face was already bloodied, his clothes torn to shreds. They are close to defeating Shaw by attacking him simultaneously. Both parties took a beating but Erik's side was already winning. Shaw suddenly saw the prince, their gazes locking and in that moment, Shaw used his power upon the defenseless prince. Charles and Logan were but a few feet from the passageway leading to the large hall, an open target for Shaw because he was closer to the passageway. Chortling malignantly, Shaw unleashed an energy blast that would certainly kill a mere human. The blast threw Logan away and he fell backward, but Charles' body was violently crushed up against a wall.

"CHARLES!"The king wailed out in despair, his eyes wide and trembling with tears.

Charles shut his eyes tightly at the wrenching agony of it. He wanted to see Erik's face before he died. He tried to open his eyes but the black hand of death overwhelmed him and he fell to the floor, dead. He did not hear Erik's howls of rage anymore as Erik attacked Shaw violently, but the king was too distraught to control his powers. He did not see that Charles' body was still intact somehow and that the metal bands were the ones crushed by the impact instead. Shaw's attack could have very well obliterated a normal human and yet, Charles remained whole, for Charles...was not a human. He is a telepath. He was a superhuman so powerful that he could destroy an entire planet just by thinking it. Logan thought Charles was dead, intending to crawl over to the prince's body, but it took him aback to see this strange sight. An unseen force lifted the prince’s body upright, his limbs still slack and dangling uselessly from him, but then his eyes flashed open and it was like staring into the black pits of nothingness. The unseen force righted Charles' body until he could stand on his feet. Charles straightened up and stared at the fight occurring before him with detached coldness.

"Sire, what has happened to you?"Logan whispered as he looked up at Charles. Charles slowly turned to stare at him, giving him a chilling smile.

A force suddenly emanated from Charles; a force so powerful that it exploded all over the Genoshan kingdom. Instantly, everyone fell to the ground, screaming and clutching at their heads due to the pain they felt. Charles attacked everyone, including his king. The only one he spared was his own son. The boy was lying in a small crib while Ororo wailed and clutched at her own head as she remained lying on the floor beside Henry McCoy, who was in similar state as the nursemaid. Every other babe and children in Genosha received the same drilling pain, filling the entire kingdom with their screams.

 _My symphony of screams_ , Charles thought, amused as he strode confidently towards King Erik, his expression cruel and twisted. The kind and gentle prince was no more and in his place, a monster had awakened; a monster intent on death and destruction.

Through a haze of pain, Erik stared up at Charles, unable to believe that this was happening. Charles should be dead. Shaw killed him, and yet his husband stood over him nonchalantly as he fought against this crushing pain within his skull. Something was not right with Charles. His eyes. Why were his eyes like black orbs? Why was Charles heedless of his suffering? His prince would have gone to him beset with worry. Could it be that Charles was the source of the pain he felt? Why would Charles do this? Erik could see that even Shaw was not spared from the telepathic attack as well as his own men. They restlessly squirmed about on the floor with him.

"Worms, you are all worms!"Charles said in a gloating, disemboweled voice. Charles threw his head back, laughing uproariously, in a callous manner so unlike the gentle prince.

"Charles...why?"King Erik groaned, struggling against his pain. Charles tilted his head to side, regarding the king with interest.

"I had hoped you would have more fight in you, King Erik. It hardly seems fair,"Charles said bitingly, disgusted at the sight of the groveling king.

"Please Charles, if you're the one doing this, please stop,"The king moaned, his hands still clutched to his aching head. The pain was indescribable. It felt as if his brains were cooking within his skull and at any given moment, it would explode and he would be no more.

"It pleases me to hear you beg, my king!"Charles said derisively.

Surprisingly, he granted the king's request. With just a thought, he stopped his mental assault on the people of Genosha, along with Shaw and his men. Freed from his excruciating torture, Shaw had decided it was time to leave Genosha with his men. He had not met a telepath so powerful as Charles. He was even more powerful than Lady Grey, for he broke through Shaw's Telepathy blocking device. He had always dismissed the other as a useless human. Who knew that the prince hid his true powers. He was a formidable enemy after all, one that Shaw had decided would serve his cause if he had the other on his side. For now though, he must escape. He must gain some knowledge of Charles' powers first. Let Prince Charles destroy the king. It seems the prince had lost his mind and was intent on killing the other. Perhaps the prince will destroy Genosha for him, without Shaw even lifting a finger.

"Retreat!"Shaw spoke into his communicator and instantly, Shaw and his cohorts disappeared from Genosha, the traitors with teleportation powers aided their comrades in their escape. Cyclops and Havok remained lying on the floor looking on at this strange occurrence. Prince Charles knelt by King Erik's side, grabbing the folds of the king's robe and hauling him up. It confused the king to see Charles behaving like this, but still, his love for the other prevented him from seeing that Charles was a threat to him, a very lethal enemy that could kill him instantly. Erik gently reached for Charles' cheek.

"Charles, what has happened to you?"Erik said in a voice clotted over with suppressed tears.

Charles reached up to remove Erik's hand from his face, smiling at him mockingly.

"Mine. You're mine!"Charles said in a guttural voice. He clutched at Erik's cheeks and drew him close for a kiss.

Erik did not care for Charles' strange eyes or that his husband meant him harm. None of it matters. He would rather die than endure parting from Charles. He opened his own mouth to welcome his doom.

For you, Charles. I offer up my life for you, Erik thought in his quiet despair.

The king's eyes rolled to the whites as Charles gave him a lethal kiss. Black veins sprouted about Erik's cheeks as Charles kept on kissing him, the veins spreading all over Erik's skin. Charles meant to absorb Erik into his memory system, until Erik would be nothing but a memory. Perhaps he would revisit those memories just to recall the pleasure of their lovemaking. Erik's men could not stand idly by just to watch their king die. They had to save him. They began to attack Charles from the back, but he deflected their attacks with a wave of his hand. Charles ignored them as he kept kissing Erik and then he heard his son crying within his head.

_Father. Hurt. Scared. I'm Scared._

It startled the prince to hear his son's heart-rending plea that he pulled back from kissing Erik, allowing the other to recover. Those words...he had heard them before. His son meant to warn him against _himself_. Charles immediately understood that David had foreseen this. Hence, the repeated words. He wanted David to understand that Erik must die. He was about to send his thoughts towards David when a painful blow hit the back of his head. It was Logan. Logan had picked up a piece of stone, stealthily walking towards the prince and struck his own liege from the back. Charles fell to the floor, unconscious.

Cyclops and Havok regained their senses and went to their king to assist him. Erik was gasping raggedly and coughing at the same time, the black veins already disappearing from his skin. He pushed his own men away and regardless of Charles' attempt to murder him, Erik drew Charles into his embrace.

"Charles,"King Erik sobbed as he kept embracing the man who had intended to kill him in cold blood.

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, an immediate follow-up to Chapter 10. Hope this makes up for the ending from the last chapter :) And once again, thanks to those who continuously support my work :) <3

 

The king knew that news of what had happened in Genosha would eventually spread, however, he did not care for what the other kingdoms would think of his current predicament any longer. His concern was for his people. His once pristine city had become drenched in blood, the stone foundations his father had laid down many years ago torn asunder and many of his people massacred senselessly in the very place they considered a haven. It was a great blow to him, but above all, the truth about Charles' intentions utterly broke his spirit. He did not anticipate that Shaw's treachery would lead to this devastation. He blamed himself for what has come to pass, taking to drinking until the haze of inebriation struck his thoughts from him, but despite what happened, his own people did not blame their king because they knew that this was all Shaw's doing. After all, Genosha still stands and as long as Genosha stands, hope prevails. His people knew that if Shaw hadn't been caught in time, he would have most certainly destroyed Genosha had he remained further. Besides that, it was best that they have rooted out the traitors now, rather than to wait for the day when Shaw and his faction would come to gain absolute power and the Genoshans could no longer defeat them.

Henceforth, King Erik's men had done their best to rebuild the city by using their powers, helping each other rise from the ashes of the horrors Shaw had brought upon them. Many months had passed before Erik himself finally recovered from it. Under those circumstances, anyone would have wallowed in self-pity and depression, but he is a king. His people needed him. For this reason, King Erik busied himself by helping in Genosha's recovery, using this as an excuse to avoid his son David. Because of the pain and fear within him, he avoided seeing his own son. He was just too heartbroken.

Together with the captain of the guard and Lady Grey, they worked hard to re-establish Genosha's strength. It took them several months, but in due time, the city regained its former splendor. Erik woke up one day to see the white stones restored and the dark blue spires shining against the skies once more; the royal flags with his family's crest fluttering proudly in the wind. He looked down from his balcony to see his people thriving, going about their business in the town square and the marketplace. Then, thoughts of Charles pervaded his mind. His eyes welled with tears as he recalled sharing his pride over his city with Charles during their time in the ceremonial wedding chamber. He longed for those days again. Someone suddenly made a throat-clearing sound at his back. He turned around and saw Jean standing there.

"May I have a word with you, your majesty? Forgive me if I interrupted your peace,"

"No need to apologize. What is it?"

"Perhaps it is time for you to see your son, my lord."Jean said, her expression hopeful.

The king's brow furrowed at this and he turned away from him her, looking back at his effulgent city instead. All things considered, to see his city resplendent once more gave him cause for distraction.

"The nursemaid tends to him, does she not? What do I know of rearing children?" The king said offhandedly, as if he couldn't care less for David.

"Your majesty, you need to see your son. He asks for your presence constantly, especially when he has his nightmares."

King Erik shook his head weakly."I don't want to see him,"

Jean felt a lump in her throat, nearly bursting into tears. It pained her to see the king like this. The king has always been a stubborn individual, a trait that he had surely acquired from their former king, but she has never seen him so sad, not like this. She knew it was all because of Prince Charles. Had she brought up a discussion about the prince, King Erik would most likely end up shouting for her to leave. Any topic about the prince was a touchy one for their ruler. For instance, an incident occurred wherein Lady MacTaggert asked after the prince's belongings and the king shouted at her wrathfully, nearly sending forth his knives to kill the poor servant for mentioning the prince's name. Thus, no one spoke of the prince's name to the king thereafter.

"Very well, your majesty. If you have need of me, I am in your chancery with Robert Drake."

"Is that all you have to say? Is there nothing more?"The king asked her pointedly, as if he was challenging her to say something about the prince. Jean lifted her eyes to meet the king's sad and pained eyes and knowing that his heart was still too broken, she did not say anything more.

"Nothing else, my lord. I have nothing more I can say."

The king's expression hardened."Good. Oh and by the way, arrange a meeting with the farmers for me, why don't you?"The king said distractedly, returning his gaze towards the city. Jean sighed quietly and curtsied before the king even though he could not see her.

"As you wish, my king!"

King Erik continued to linger at the balcony, staring on at his kingdom when he was suddenly startled by a drop of water upon his arm. He thought perhaps that it was about to rain, but then he realized, his eyes were wet. A single drop of his tear had fallen on to his arm, trailing down from one of his cheeks. He was crying and he did not even notice it. He furiously wiped at his eyes, rejecting his tears.

 _I am a king! I am not supposed to cry! I must not cry! I must not!_ King Erik scolded himself, feeling foolish for doing so, but unable to stop himself from crying. He suddenly collapsed to the marbled floor on his knees, sobbing uncontrollably; the wound within his heart was still so deep that he could not prevent his feelings from overcoming him. Then, something odd occurred. He heard a voice inside his head. A voice so gentle and loving that it instantly soothed the pain within him. It was David's voice. David's voice was strangely powerful, as if the babe had cast a spell upon him. Although it may seem like sorcery, the king sensed no malice in it, only a child wanting to comfort his suffering father.

_Please don't cry anymore, Father._

"David?"Erik said out loud, his eyes wide.

David did not speak in his mind again, leaving him confused and out of sorts. Why did his son speak to him in this manner? Why now? He had decided it was time he faced David. However, overcome by his doubt, the king waited until it was late in the evening before he went down to David's nursery. Lady Ororo slept in a bed close by to watch over the babe and to feed him when he becomes hungry. As Erik drew near, he saw that David's eyes remained closed. The babe was fast asleep. David did not even stir as Erik knelt before his crib. Erik felt a wrenching tug within his heart as he lovingly regarded his son. David was such a beautiful babe; his hair was blond, a genetic trait inherited from Erik's side, but his blue eyes were those of Charles. He could not bear looking at David because whenever he did, the child would remind him of Charles and he would feel his heart dying each time. The pain was just too deep. It was because Charles' crime was exceptionally heinous. He had almost committed Genocide and he had almost murdered Erik, his husband king, an act which was punishable by a slow and excruciating death. Erik himself had nearly given his life over to Charles, all because of his love, but his advisers counseled him on this and he eventually accepted their words.

Thinking of Charles caused Erik's face to crumple up. He placed a trembling hand over his burning eyes. After that harrowing day, Erik did not cry over Charles for a long time, but after so many months of damming up his feelings, his tears flowed from him freely today. He did not know why. He lifted his head and to his surprise, David was actually awake and the child stared up at him steadily, giving him a look full of such awareness that if it was any human, they would have thought the child a monstrous spawn. Indeed, David was such a strange and solemn child.

_Father._

The child spoke to him again and Erik still couldn't get over this strange wonder, to have his infant son speaking to him, even before the child's mouth could form the spoken words.

"What is it, David?"

_Where is my prince father? I cannot sense him. Where has he gone?_

Erik placed a hand over his mouth to stifle a sob. How can he make David understand? Charles had committed a very serious crime and...

_He has suffered so, father._

"What do you mean, David? What happened to Charles?"Erik said in a choked voice.

David lifted a hand towards him, his childish and pudgy fingers held out for Erik's grasp. Like Jean, David could share his thoughts through touching.

_See father. You must see it._

"See what, son?"Erik was reaching down to touch David's hand.

Erik suddenly hesitated. He worried over the possibility that David had inherited Charles' madness, which was one of the reasons why he avoided the boy in the first place. Charles was a superhuman after all. On the other hand, he sensed that David has good intentions towards him. Although his mind warned him of the danger, his heart told him otherwise. He finally reached out to grasp David's hand in his, doing so gently. He did not want to hurt the tiny fingers that lovingly held his own. He started in shock upon seeing the images David showed him.

These are Charles' memories. He had seen these images before. Jean had shown these things to him on the day that she discovered that black void within Charles' memory system. He had seen how the Shi'ar citizens ridiculed and shunned Charles; he had seen Charles' lonely days in the forbidden city, but this time, the black void was no longer present to block the rest of the memories. David was taking him deeper into Charles' mind and it shocked him to see the hidden memories.

After King Jakob killed King Raphael for his betrayal, King Jakob spoke to Lady Darkholme, Raven's mother. The Genoshan king informed Lady Darkholme of King Raphael's demise. However, the details of King Raphael's death was not thoroughly explained to King Raphael's children. In short, they had assumed that King Jakob killed their father over a trivial matter. Lady Darkholme screamed like a mad woman at the news, while King Jakob did his best to console the widowed queen, explaining the circumstances to her in hushed tones. The queen pretended to gain composure, but as soon as King Jakob left, the queen calmly walked towards the domed gardens, carrying a rope in her hands and then she hung herself upon the very spot where King Raphael died violently. Raven and Charles witnessed the suicide, leaving them shaken and confused, for they had followed the queen, not knowing that she meant to take her own life and not knowing the true reason why King Raphael died. The truth perished along with Lady Darkholme. Raven nearly went insane, seeing her own mother kill herself.

Charles consoled Raven as best as he could, but the horror did not end there. Not for him. Shi'ar's Royal Council had come to a decision to lay the blame upon Charles' mother. While it is true that Charles' mother arranged the amicable union between Shi'ar and Genosha, it was only because they sent her as a Royal envoy. The council were well aware that this was due to none other than King Raphael's own edict. However, the council still accused Charles' mother of treason and afterwards, they subjected her to the worst punishment possible. Charles had witnessed his own innocent mother tortured and mutilated before his eyes in a horrific manner that left Charles scarred for life. Charles understood that the only reason why the council blamed his mother was to prevent her from becoming the queen, for both the rightful rulers passed away and she was merely the king's favored human concubine, who bore a human son for the king and they, as Phasers, refused to have a human as their queen. That was when Charles' powers emerged. Even as a child, Charles' frightful telepathic powers went beyond anything they could imagine. Charles murdered the entire Royal council in a pique of rage to avenge his mother. Due to his powers, the Phasers shunned him and had sought to cast him from Shi'ar, but Raven, as the only remaining true heir to the throne, used her royal rights to protect Charles. She refused to banish him, for she truly did love Charles and considered him her only family in the world. They had already both lost so much.

Raven declared the erasure of Charles' memories instead, stripping him of his identity and that he was to reside by himself in the forbidden city, along with a suitable retinue to see to his deportment and care. The royal relatives did not know that Raven and Charles planned this all along after Charles showed Raven his fearsome power. In that moment, they had both sworn to bring down the Genoshan empire and to kill every last one of the Lehnsherr line. They conspired with another Phaser to cast a prohibited spell upon Charles, using Shi'ar trinkets as a ploy. The golden arm and ankle bands did not only suppress Charles' memories, these enchanted items also suppressed Charles' powers and now Erik knew the truth about his prince. Only several questions needed some answering at this point. Was it possible that the Gentle Charles and the Dark Charles are the same person, or could it be that _his_ Charles was nothing but a fabricated identity, that he wasn't real?

Erik needed to know the truth. For this, he had to visit Charles before the other's execution. He immediately regretted the decision of signing a royal decree to have Charles executed and he was horror-struck at that time when the royal advisers informed him that it was a requirement that he must witness it, hence, his behavior when someone mentions Charles' name.

Erik finally made his peace with his son, after David shared Charles' memories with him. Charles' life had nothing in it but hate and death. He has indeed suffered so much. Erik now understood why Charles committed these crimes. He did it out of love and a misguided need for vengeance. It was time someone saved Charles from his suffering; it was time someone freed him from his hate. David saw his thoughts and cooed out at him. David began to laugh softly, giving Erik a cherubic smile. Erik's eyes had grown moist again, welled up with tears. He could not stop himself from crying this time. He took David in his arms and hugged him as he cried, silently thanking his son.

_"Sire, I beg of you, please reconsider your actions. You are placing yourself in danger if you enter that room!"Cyclops begged his king, matching the other's stride as King Erik purposefully walked towards Charles' prison cell._

_"I know what I'm doing, Cyclops."King Erik said abruptly and it was all Cyclops could do not to tear his hair out in his frustration._

_"My king, if you enter that room, you are breaking your own rules!"Cyclops cried out petulantly, blocking the king's way._

_Erik grinned at him insolently."Since when have I truly followed the rules? Who created these rules? Did I not create them? If I choose to do so, I will break every decree I've ever created if I have to. Now get out of my way, or so help me, I shall deal with you accordingly!"_

_Cyclops winced and slowly moved out of the king's way, fearful of the other's blazing eyes. King Erik huffed out an indignant breath, giving Cyclops a withering stare and then he ordered the prison guard to open the doors for him. The guard followed the order and gaped after the king as their liege headed straight for Prince Charles' cell and entered the door. Cyclops was about to follow the king into the room when the king popped his head out over the edge of the door and glared at him._

_"Why are you still following me? Go! Leave me be!"_

_"Your majesty, your safety is my priority,"Cyclops began tightly._

_King Erik chuckled at him, sneering out with a threat."What about your safety, hmm? Did you not consider your own safety? Who shall save you from my wrath?"_

_Cyclops sweated profusely beneath his suit and swallowed thickly."I...I shall wait for you outside, my lord. If half a day passes by and you remain in that room and we do not hear from you, I shall forthwith enter, regardless if you kill me!"_

_The king chuckled at his gall."Surely you have the balls to contend with, Cyclops. Very well, I shall agree to your terms."_

_The captain of the guard nodded abruptly and went to stand sentry with the guard at the main door._

_"Has our king gone mad?"The guard asked, wondering over the king's odd behavior._

_"No. Believe me, this is quite normal,"Cyclops drawled out wearily, shaking his head.  
_

 

They did not say anything to each other, not for a long while. Erik met Charles' eyes as the other remained seated upon a chair. Charles thought that Erik was just a figment of his imagination, that Erik was not in the room with him after all. He had grown used to the shackles at his wrists that he crossed his arms before himself without twisting the chains together. Erik himself had created these shackles for him, using the same precious metals as the golden bands that the prince used to wear. The very walls are lined with the same metal to prevent Charles' dark self from coming out, hence, this prevented David from sensing his prince father.

"Erik."Charles said in a quiet voice.

"Charles."

The king suddenly found himself incapable of speech. Charles' condition appalled him. Of the many months that he had not seen his prince, Charles' hair had grown long, straggling on to his shoulders. His sad blue eyes had dark circles underneath them and his face appeared haggard; aged somehow. A short growth of a beard covered his cheeks and his chin. The clothing his men provided the prince were mere rags, for the prince himself requested it. Charles noticed the king's dismay and gave the other a lifeless smile.

"For a moment, I thought that you are but a figment of my imagination,"

The king did not utter a response. He just continued to regard Charles silently. Charles ran a trembling hand through his hair and attempted to chuckle.

"Have you come to give me one last appraisal before my execution? Forgive me if I do not look my best at the moment,"

"No Charles. I wanted to ask you a question."

"Please, ask away. I shall answer you as best as I can, my king."

Erik wanted to ask Charles about his dark self, but changed his question instead.

"Why did you not inform your sister of...of your predicament?"

Erik had given Charles the permission to write to his sister and to inform Queen Raven of his impending execution, but Charles, in this case, decided to inform his sister that all was well, even fabricating stories of his current exploits and advising the queen not to visit Genosha until they have rebuilt it to its former glory. Even though all the realms knew of what Genosha endured after they exposed Shaw as a traitor, the other kingdoms were not aware of the prince's pending execution for attempted Genocide and murder. Only a few people within the kingdom knew the truth. The Genoshan people thought that the mental attack they had suffered was Shaw's doing. Nevertheless, the citizens of Genosha would eventually receive information about the truth on the day of the actual execution, to prevent Charles from suffering humiliation and outrage from the Genoshan citizens. Erik wanted to spare him of that and so his own people had spread a rumor that the prince was presently ill, hence his absence from the court. Charles averted his eyes from his husband.

"Erik, if I informed her of my execution, what do you think will happen? I know my sister. She'll instigate a war with Genosha if I gave her knowledge of it. Actually on the...last day, I plan to write a final letter informing her that I've committed suicide. She doesn't need to know the truth. Please as my last request, allow me to do this,"

"Charles, why-"

"My king, I don't want our kingdoms to go to war! What will become of David if we allow such a terrible and senseless act to happen?"Charles finally lifted his head and Erik could see the depth of Charles' pain in his eyes. Erik could not believe it. Charles would rather die than allow their kingdoms to go to war. Erik pressed on with his questioning.

"Is this not what you wanted, Charles? You and Queen Raven? You wanted to destroy Genosha, did you not? You wanted to kill me!"

Charles shook his head weakly."No. Why would I want to do that? You are my husband and we have a son! You are both my only world! My only happiness!"

"Did you not see? When Jean showed you what you've done using her telepathy...did you not see your own actions on that day?"

Charles' face crumpled up, agonized to hear Erik's voice rising."That was the other me. That's not who I am, Erik! I would never hurt you!"

The prince suddenly stood up and attempted to walk towards the king, but Erik moved away from him quickly. It wounded Charles' heart to see his own husband shun him.

"Erik...won't you allow me to see my son, even for one last time?"Charles begged him, his voice trembling.

The king slowly shook his head, truly regretful that it has come to this."I cannot allow you to endanger our son, Charles. If your other self suddenly emerges-"

Charles stomped a foot upon the floor, shutting his eyes tight and balling his hands into fists in his despondency, causing the chains of his shackles to clatter upon the floor."Erik please! I beg of you!"

The prince lifted his head and saw that the king refused to yield. Charles ran a frustrated hand through his hair and sat back in his chair instead, quietly resentful towards the king.

"Charles, I need to understand something first. I need you to answer my question,"

Prince Charles chuckled bitterly at his words, his tone sarcastic."More questions, my king? I thought you only meant to ask me one question,"

Erik shook his head, daring himself to step closer to Charles."I need to know what you know,"

The prince crossed his arms before himself again and turned his face away. When he spoke once more, his voice had grown cold and spiteful."I know that you took the things that mean the most to me."

The king didn't like the tone of Charles' voice. Here he was, attempting to clarify things to mend their marriage whereas Charles behaved towards him like child. He could not stop himself from becoming incensed."Well, maybe you should have fought harder for them!"

Charles couldn't control his anger and resentment any longer. He stood up from the chair and launched himself at the king, grabbing the collar of his robes and shouting with all his might.

"If you want to fight, Erik, then I will give you a fight!"

"Charles, sit down!"Erik warned him.

Despite the king's warning, Charles continued to rage on. He was too angry and too distraught to stop.

"You abandoned me! You took David away, and you abandoned me!"He shouted loudly, his voice shaking with his feelings.

Erik lost control of himself and shoved Charles back into his chair, shouting at him, his face scrunched up in his rage."You abandoned us ALL!"

Charles regained his senses, blinking repeatedly as he stared up at Erik in disbelief.

"You abandoned us just so you can fulfill this alliance with your sister, plotting to overthrow me and my country and for what? FOR WHAT? For revenge? After that, what happens next? Will you kill David as well? He is a Genoshan prince, is he not? My blood runs through his veins,"

"No,"Charles said in a small voice, meekly placing his fingers against his mouth.

A lengthy and awkward silence fell between them and then Charles broke it."I didn't know about any of that,"

"Didn't know what?"

"I didn't know my other self plotted to murder you, but I know in my heart, I could not harm you or David. I love you both so much that I would rather die than go on like this. I deserve my punishment. Once I am gone, do tell David good things about me from time to time. He does not need to know about my awful crimes," Charles said in a tearful voice and then he sobbed into his hands, his shoulders hitching with effort. Erik's heart was breaking once more, seeing his husband in this state. Regardless of his fears, he went to Charles and embraced him. Charles desperately clung to him, pressing his face against Erik's chest and sobbing uncontrollably, seeking the comfort denied of him for so long. After that fateful day, when Logan had knocked the prince unconscious, Erik created Charles' chains and his prison using his magnetic powers. Charles was then thrown into the prison cell and that was the last Erik had seen of Charles until today. Seeing him again for the first time in a long time, drew bittersweet feelings within him. He nuzzled his face into Charles' hair, gently kissing the top of his head as Charles continued to cry. Charles wiped at his face and lifted his head to look up into Erik's eyes. Erik reached out to tenderly caress his face.

"Charles, I want to know if you and your dark self are one person because I truly do love the kind and gentle side of you, but since I claim to love you, I have to accept you as you are, you and your dark half,"

Charles pulled away from Erik, troubled by his king's words and dreading the inevitable question.

"I need to speak to the other you. Will you allow me to do this?"

Charles shook his head vehemently."NO! He'll hurt you! Erik, please! Ask anything of me but this! Chain me! Kill me and torture me! I shall endure it all, but I won't allow him to hurt you any longer!"

The king suddenly drew the struggling prince to himself for a kiss. As soon as their lips touched, Charles melted against the other. Erik did not care for Charles' beard and kissed him passionately, his tongue gently sliding into Charles' red and sensuous mouth and then he embraced him tightly, as if he did not ever want to let go. They kissed for a while until Charles pulled away, gasping breathlessly and reaching out to touch his own lips, tears streaming down his eyes.

"I've longed to kiss your lips like this again, Erik. I've dreamed of your kisses countless times,"Charles said softly, eyes glimmering as he gazed up at his husband lovingly.

"Then you shall have them once more, my love, but you must trust in me first, as I shall trust in you,"

Charles shook his head weakly."I'm afraid,"

Erik lifted his chin and planted a soft kiss upon his lips."There is no fear in love."

They gazed at each other quietly and then Charles finally nodded in agreement. Drawing in a quivering breath, he quietly lifted his wrists out to Erik, his eyes riveted only to his king's face.

Erik used his powers to unclasp the shackles and immediately, the Dark Charles emerged. Charles's lucid blue eyes became clouded over with a black sheen, covering the whites, his expression becoming insolent.

"Glutton for punishment, aren't you?"The Dark Charles said snidely.

"Charles, I just want to speak with you,"Erik said carefully, aware of what the other might do to him. Of course, he was culpable for his own actions at this point. He drew out this dangerous monster after all. At this instant, if he died, then at least he has made his peace with the Gentle Charles and his son. His assumptions proved to be correct because the dark Charles instantly assaulted him. Erik fell down, clutching at his head. He rolled about the floor and thrashed about. The pain was agonizing, but he fought against it.

"Charles, please!"Erik begged in a tight voice.

"Ohh, the sound of you begging turns me on!"Charles crooned and then he began to laugh derisively. He suddenly stopped laughing and placed two fingers to his temple.

"I want to see you crawl and beg before I end you!"

Erik had no control over his own body. He suddenly rolled on to his stomach and with limbs trembling, Charles forced him to kneel.

"On your knees, My king!"The Dark Charles uttered in husky voice, a triumphant and vicious smile forming upon his lips.

Erik groaned and struggled, sweat dappling his brow as he dared to meet Charles' eyes.

"Now beg! Beg for mercy!"Charles said, tittering with a maniacal laughter, enjoying the taunting he dealt upon the king.

"Charles, even if you kill me, this does not change my feelings for you. I love you and I will never stop loving you,"Erik said with conviction.

Instead of appeasing the prince, hearing the king proclaim his love for him angered him. Snarling, Charles lifted a hand up and threw the king against the wall using his telekinetic powers. Charles quickly walked over to him as the king struggled to get to his feet and then Charles kicked his side. Erik collapsed back on to the floor, moaning at the pain. Breathless, Erik tried to get his words across.

"Enter my mind, Charles. Then you'll see,"

Charles uttered a jeering laughter at his words, eyes going wide."You're inviting me into your head? Do you wish to die so swiftly?"

Erik countered with a question of his own."Would it please you even further if I beg? Then please, I beg of you! See into my mind! You need to see the truth!"

Charles regarded him strangely for a long while and then he sauntered over to where Erik slumped himself up against the wall. He crouched beside the king and then he placed two fingers to his own temple and closed his eyes. Charles' intrusion into his mind was not a subtle one. Charles assaulted his mind as he entered Erik's memory system, causing Erik to wince and moan painfully.

Erik thought it impossible to change Charles' heart, but surprisingly, the Dark Charles' expression softened, the more he probed Erik's memory system. His tearing and rending assault stopped straightaway, replaced by a gentle probing. The Dark Charles finally saw the truth of what happened the night King Jakob killed King Raphael. Charles immediately severed the melding of their minds and then he sat back heavily against the wall, his expression stunned. To Erik's astonishment, Dark Charles' frightening tar pit eyes faded away, restoring his lucid blue ones. Charles turned to regard Erik with wounded eyes.

"King Raphael was a brute. I never loved him! He mistreated Raven's mother and he was dismissive towards me and Raven. Above all, he mistreated my mother the most. I don't know why Lady Darkholme would kill herself for that man. I don't know her reasons but I knew that sooner or later, King Raphael's cruelty would catch up with him. I...I just didn't know, that my poor mother would have to suffer for it too!"

Charles suddenly began to cry, bitter tears streaming down his face and Erik allowed him to continue. The king did not reach out to touch his husband to console him. Charles had to let it all out first. The prince eventually stopped crying and then he looked into Erik's eyes.

"Despite everything...I can't believe that you still love me. Why would you love someone like me? Why?"

"Because even though you are full of hate and pain, deep inside, you are truly a gentle and kind person. You've locked away that other half of you, your innocent self and cast him aside, but you did not anticipate that I would fall for your true self, the one you thought was a fabricated identity. This is who you are Charles. You are a good person and regardless of your mistakes and the hurt we have caused each other, I forgive you and I love you!"

Charles couldn't stand it anymore. He threw himself into Erik's arms and wailed like a child. He couldn't seem to stop crying. He cried and cried until he grew exhausted and he fell asleep in Erik's arms.

 

Charles woke up and found himself lying beside Erik upon his prison bed. Erik had remained by his side after all this time, but Erik did however, call for Cyclops to inform the captain of the guard that he shall remain in the prison cell with his husband for the entire night. Cyclops was aghast to see that his king and the prince were lying in bed together and that the prince was no longer restrained. What sorcery did the king perform to appease the mad prince? Moreover, why are they even in bed together?

The prince softly drew away from the king, thankful that the other did not make love to him while he was asleep. The king may have forgiven him, but he couldn't bring himself to respond to his king with intimacy. He still felt guilty over his actions and he felt that he did not deserve the king's love and forgiveness, not after what he has done. He believed that he deserved a severe punishment for his crimes. Erik suddenly stirred awake to look up at him, smiling serenely. He attempted to reach for Charles, but the other shrank from him and got up from the bed. Erik's brow furrowed in astonishment as Charles walked over to his shackles and restrained himself once more.

"Charles, what are you doing?"

Prince Charles sighed tiredly, leaning against the wall on the opposite end of his cell and sitting down upon the floor."This does not change things, Erik. I've committed a heinous crime. You must fulfill my punishment,"

The king sat up straight, shocked to hear Charles's words."NO! Have you lost your mind?"

"Indeed, my king, I have. Now look at the aftermath of my actions,"Charles said ironically.

Erik felt his throat tighten. He remained seated upon the bed as he regarded Charles.

"Charles, you don't have to go through this,"

"I am aware of who I am now, Erik. My other self and I are one person. What he knows, I know it too. I've placed you and David in danger because of my powers. It is no wonder my own people shunned me. I'm a monster! I've murdered people, Erik and I've nearly killed everyone in Genosha! I can't live on like this. I don't know if I can ever gain control of the darkness in me," Charles said these words steadily, but he trembled and cried as he spoke. He held Erik's stare, his eyes full of pain.

"The massacre of some our people wouldn't have happened if I had not informed Shaw of his impending arrest, Erik. Yes, it was my doing! Can't you see? Now, can you still claim to love me, after knowing what I've done? Can you?" Charles challenged him in a tight voice.

Erik stared at Charles steadily for a long time. Then, he tilted his head towards the bed and ran his hand upon the sheet slowly.

"Come here, and I shall give you my answer,"Erik said huskily.

Charles exhaled through his mouth in exasperation, blinking repeatedly at Erik's words. He knew what Erik wanted to happen. He found it incredulous that even after everything he had said, Erik still wanted him. He remained seated, refusing to give in. Erik eventually stood up and he walked over to Charles. He took Charles' wrists in his hands and drew the other close to him.

"Erik I can't! I can't even feel arousal anymore!"Charles moaned.

"Oh? We shall see about that,"Erik murmured and then he began to kiss Charles' neck and bearded cheeks gently. Charles whimpered at his nearness, blushing softly and turning his head away, but he could not refuse Erik's desire for him. This was Erik's answer.

Charles kept his eyes closed as Erik undressed him. He could feel the fabric sliding down, puddling at his feet. He could feel Erik's hand caressing his hip covetously, trailing upwards to touch his belly. He felt heat flutter within the pit of his stomach; a tingling in his spine and as Erik kissed his ear and his shoulder, a strange thrilling feeling tickled the back of his throat. His mouth watered at it. Oh, desire! Deny it as he might, it burned within him. He fought at it, but in time, as Erik continued with his ministrations, his treacherous body gave in. He moaned as Erik licked the circle of his ear, nibbling at his earlobe, the snarl of teeth dragging suggestively upon his flesh and he shivered at it. Hot fingers sought his nipples now, gently plucking, circling; the teasing touches that sent an electric shock within his sensitive body. It was spreading now. Heat and the thrilling shock waves, running through his veins like fire and ice. Erik's other hand trailed downwards, caressed the mound of pubic hair above Charles' manhood until Erik's fingers grazed his sex and he started in shock at it, gasping.

"Lie with me,"Erik whispered into his ear, guiding him back to bed. The chains clattered as Charles allowed Erik to lead him. Using his powers, Erik removed the chains and afterwards, he removed his own clothing. Once they were both lying in bed, Erik straddled Charles, kissing him hungrily upon the lips and Charles hugged him tightly, his nails almost digging deep into Erik's flesh. He closed his eyes again, tears slowly coursing down his cheeks as Erik kissed him senseless. His head spun; His king knew exactly how to please him. As soon as their hips slid against each other, Charles felt his husband's erection. So hard. Charles pulled back and bit his lower lip in his excitement.

Seeing that look of lust on Charles' face aroused Erik. He surged forward to give Charles a gnashing kiss. His kisses had grown sloppy, licking and nibbling as he went, eyes heavy as if he was drunk. His hand slid familiarly over Charles' pale skin. He could feel the feverish heat rising upon Charles' flesh and that intoxicating smell rose from Charles' body. That natural scent of honeyed heat and smoky lust. Erik's kisses trailed downwards until his mouth found Charles' cock. Charles was already hard. He gripped the shaft at the base and then he suckled, strong and hard, causing Charles to throw his head back with a strangled cry. He shut his eyes tight for a moment and then his eyes flew open when Erik prodded his backside with oiled fingers. Charles lifted his head to see how Erik's fingers entered him in this manner. The king gazed up at him mischievously, smiling from around his cock-sucking and then Charles noticed that Erik had used his power to draw out a bottle of their love oil. It hung from a chain as it remained suspended in midair, perhaps the king had it hidden somewhere in the pockets of his clothing. Charles' shoulders hitched up as Erik continued to prod at that sensitive barrier of flesh within him, He closed his eyes again and threw his head back in abandon, moaning lustily as Erik kept on taking him like this until he climaxed, his senses overwrought and finally finding release. Erik swallowed his come heartily, tongue drumming up at the head of Charles' cock and then he pulled back, licking his lips slowly.

Breathless, Charles sagged back on to the bed, evidently sated. However, Erik did not give him any time to recover. His king began to lick his manhood with slow seductiveness, making him jerk about at the sensation it gave him. He was still so sensitive.

"Erik, I can't...not yet!"Charles groaned drunkenly.

The king ignored his plea. Eyes full of his dark intent, Erik kissed and suckled Charles' cock once more, causing Charles to thrash about restlessly, tears starting from his eyes as the torturous sensation of hurt and pleasure roiled within his aching manhood. Satisfied that Charles' cock responded with wanton attention, the king rolled back on to the bed and gestured for Charles to position himself upon his lap. Groggily moving about, eyes heavy-lidded and lost, Charles followed his king's command and sat astride Erik's lap. Immediately, the king guided his cock to home and slid with maddening slowness into Charles' backside. Charles uttered delicious howls of pleasure as Erik inched deeper into him.

"Ahhhh, Erik!"

Charles had assumed that Erik would begin that ecstatic thrusting into him, but Erik remained still, just gazing up at him affectionately. Charles braced his hands upon Erik's muscled torso, his palms sliding upon the other's sweat-dappled skin, waiting for what will happen next.

"You have to forgive yourself, Charles."Erik said softly, reaching out to clutch Charles' hips.

Charles remained silent as Erik continued."I know it's going to be hard. I know there will be guilt and there will be pain, but you have to forgive yourself. Otherwise, it will eat you up and there will be nothing left. Whatever happened in the past, it was not your fault. You were as much a victim too in this instance,"

Charles was overcome by Erik's words and he began to sob quietly."Erik,"

Erik raised himself up, keeping Charles in place and then he embraced the prince lovingly.

"Do you forgive yourself?"Erik whispered into his ear.

"Yes,"Charles whispered back and as they kissed, Erik began the delicious motions, rocking his hips forward and sliding in and out of Charles' backside. Charles uttered a trembling moan and wrapped his arms about Erik's neck, clinging on to his king as if he did not ever want to let go.

They began the rocking and thrusting motions, that intimate union that went deeper than the flesh, their gazes intense, unfaltering. Erik drew close to kiss Charles' chin. Charles restlessly clutched Erik's hair, moving faster, hips bucking frantically now, feeling the friction and the heat, building up the pleasure shocks. Breathy moans escaped Charles as his hips lost volition, desperate for that elusive ecstasy of a simultaneous orgasm. Erik's mouth was half open, gasping raggedly, eyes intent on Charles. It was unbearable, but intensely pleasurable at the same time. A silent pact was struck between them and they moved faster, harder until Charles stiffened against Erik and his come splattered onto Erik's belly, some of it spurting onto his own lap. Erik also orgasmed with him, eyes shutting tight for a moment as the spasms went through him. Gasping, they kept on hugging each other, parting only to continue kissing as they rolled back on to the bed.

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone. Sorry for the long wait on this one. For those who are still following, I just want you to know I got very sick and had to take a bit of rest from writing. I'm taking meds and resting. So I was feeling a little bit better today that's why I'm posting this chapter. My other fics will follow soon. Thanks for your continued support for my work and just to inform you, this chapter is a bit of a filler. Then the next chapters will be more on the side characters and the changes between Erik and Charles' relationship. Please don't take my fic as a serious piece of work. It's silly and ridiculous and meant for enjoyment. I hope you can take it as such <3 Thanks for your time :)

 

The king lovingly clothed his prince husband using his own dark violet robe. He did not want the prince to wear the same ragged robe he had worn for so long. Surely, the prince deserved his dignity. Earlier while they were in bed together, Charles repeated his request, asking the king to allow him to see his son and this time, the king granted Charles an immediate reunion with David. As soon as the king led the prince out of his prison, Cyclops and the prison guard automatically placed their hands upon their weapons, on the alert lest the prince assaulted them mentally. King Erik immediately lifted a hand to ward them off.

"I'll handle this. Stand down!"

Cyclops and the guard exchanged uneasy looks, but allowed the king and his prince passage. The prince wasn't even wearing his restraints. It made Cyclops suspicious over what transpired between their king and the mad prince while inside the cell. The prince seemed calm and well-behaved now. Could it be...

The captain of the guard suddenly ran after them and then Cyclops grabbed Charles' shoulder and flung him against the narrow wall of the prison hallway. The king was as equally aghast as Charles when Cyclops did this. Cyclops placed his fingers upon his visor's controls, ready to attack the prince with his laser beams.

"Whatever beguilement you've placed upon the king, I'm warning you now, Prince Charles, release him from it or I shall blast a hole through your skull!"

"What are you doing? He's not controlling me, you buffoon!"The king said heatedly.

He wanted to kill Cyclops for laying a hand on his beloved, but Charles waved with a frantic gesture towards him to stave off any attack. Erik realized that Cyclops did not understand that the situation has now changed. For this reason, Charles did not want him to kill the Captain of the guard senselessly. He knew well enough that committing a rash action would just lead to further dissension. Cyclops nervously looked from his king and then to Prince Charles, suddenly unsure. King Erik ran a frustrated hand through his hair and gestured angrily to Charles.

"If Charles had wanted to hurt you, he could have killed you and the guard outright, the moment he stepped out of the door. He's not controlling my thoughts! If you think your own king is lying, call forth Jean Grey and she'll tell you the truth!"The king cried out.

A palpable tension settled upon the air as Cyclops looked to the king and to the guard of the prison next. They stared at each other for a long while and then slowly, Cyclops released the prince. Prince Charles flung himself into King Erik's arms and hugged him, his heart clipping within his chest as he trembled in fear. He truly feared for his life. He thought for a moment that the Captain of the guard would most certainly obliterate him. He did not wish to cause any further harm upon any Genoshan citizens and so he did not lash out in self-defense, even though he has the capability of disarming both the captain and the prison guard. Erik gently soothed the prince and embraced him tightly in return. He ran his hand tenderly at the back of Charles' head and kissed his forehead.

"All is well, my love. Don't be afraid,"

"Please, Erik! Do not punish Cyclops. He did not know what happened between us."

"Hush, my love. No, I shall not hurt him."

Cyclops heard their conversation and he felt strangely ashamed that he dared to hurt the prince. Prince Charles seemed like his old self; the kind and thoughtful prince that everyone adored. Cyclops decided to trust his own instincts. He slowly got to his knees before them, bowing low.

"Forgive my rashness, my prince. I only wish to keep the king safe, I thought-"

Charles gently touched his shoulder, surprising the captain of the guard. Cyclops looked up at him, his expression startled.

"I understand, Cyclops. You are forgiven."

"How could this have happened, my prince? How-"

King Erik cut him off this time."That is a matter we shall discuss for tomorrow in the throne room. For the nonce, the prince and I have personal matters to attend to. Inform Jean of the situation. Invite my advisers and court officials as well and all those who have knowledge of Charles' incarceration at the coming of dawn. I shall throw light upon this situation soon, but until then, leave us be."

Cyclops bowed low before them."As you wish, your majesty!"

King Erik then led Charles down the hall, which opened up to a brighter and wider hallway. After the dimness of his prison, the prince squinted at the brightness that touched his eyes. The king kept his arm around Charles as they walked towards David's room, with Charles asking after his retinue.

"What of my Royal guards, Erik? Have you sent them away?"

"No, my prince. They have both requested to remain until...your execution. Despite what happened, they remained in Genosha because of you."Erik said with reluctance.

"I see. How is Ororo? Is she well?"

"She tends to our son, Charles and yes, she is well."

"What about our people, Erik? Do they know about-"

"Only a few knew of the truth, Charles. The rest of the citizens assumed that it was all Shaw's doing."

"I am glad that all is well."Charles said, sighing softly.

The king stopped in his tracks and made the prince face him."No. Not yet my prince, because of your impending execution. I assure you, it shall not take place. I shall inform the Royal household of the recent events. Anyone who dares to harm you will have to face me, regardless if I have to kill my own men!"

Charles shook his head weakly and reached for the king's hands."Be that as it may, I do not wish for you to cause any further bloodshed. We have so much to discuss, my king. Not only in the matters of the household, but of the state as well. Now that my other self and I have merged, I can see with clarity and I know what we must do to unite all the realms under your rule."

The king smiled at his prince tenderly and planted a kiss upon his lips. Prince Charles blushed happily up at him and they continued on until they arrived at David's room. Before they could open the door, Lady Ororo opened the door and curtsied before them, keeping her head low.

"Your majesties. We were expecting you,"

This startled King Erik."How so?"

"Prince David was most persuasive and he insisted that we wait for your arrival."

David was already awake, wide blue eyes solemn yet eager. The babe stood by himself upon the side of the crib, waiting for them. The moment the babe saw Charles, he held his pudgy hand out to his father and he began to wail, tears streaming down his round and childish cheeks. Owing to David's age, his response upon seeing his prince father was quite understandable. Charles immediately rushed into the room, reaching for his son and hugging the boy to himself. He rained kisses upon David's face, crying along with the baby.

"I'm here now! I'm here! Shhh! I'm here, David! Hush now, don't cry!"Charles said in a trembling voice, making an effort to soothe the babe, but failing to do so, for he couldn't control his own crying.

They both continued to cry, regardless if they are now in each other's arms and Ororo herself dabbed at her eyes as she watched them. The king remained at the door for a moment, gazing at them affectionately and then he went to them and embraced Charles, reaching out to touch David's cheek and wiping away his tears. He cried along with them, overwhelmed by the tearful reunion between David and Charles. Charles softly reached for his son's hand and then his eyes grew round. David's mental vocabulary has indeed improved after his long absence. The child informed him of many things, just with a touch.

"I see, David. I see."

Charles suddenly turned to face Erik and kissed his lips passionately. He pulled back to gently smooth the hair away from his husband's face."You've suffered, my love. I didn't know that you've also suffered so. I thought you only had hatred for me,"

Erik reached for Charles' hand and Erik regarded him with tearful eyes."That doesn't matter anymore. All that matters is that we are a family again."

Ororo loudly sobbed near the door, deeply affected by the endearing sight of their reunion. Erik and Charles had to chuckle at her. Ororo realized she got carried away by her own feelings and she offered up her apologies.

"Oh goodness! Forgive me, your majesties!"

Charles smiled at her. He went to her and placed David into her arms. David squirmed and tried to reach for Charles, uttering some gibberish that sounded like a complaint. Charles shook a finger at David, chiding him kindly.

"David, it is late. You have to sleep. I shall see you tomorrow morning and I promise I will stay with you for an entire day."

David understood, but nevertheless, he solemnly pouted in response. The child then placed a thumb into his mouth and suckled at it, laying his head upon Ororo's shoulder's and shutting his eyes. Even though David is a gifted superhuman, he is still a child after all, albeit an obedient one. Erik chuckled quietly upon seeing this and then he and Charles kissed David and greeted Ororo a good night before heading to the King's bedchambers. They hastily undressed when Erik closed the doors and once they were underneath the covers and the sheets, they kissed and touched each other softly. Erik anticipated a trying day ahead of them when morning comes. He did not want to tire Charles by making love to him right at that moment. However, Erik could not seem to prevent himself from touching his husband's pale skin and kissing his lips, notwithstanding Charles' distracting beard and longish hair. Charles pulled back to murmur into his king's ear.

"I love you, Erik."

Erik felt tears well in his eyes, just hearing Charles' voice."Whatever happens tomorrow, know that I want you by my side, always. They shall no longer part us. I'll kill anyone who gets in my way,"

Charles frowned at this, looking up at Erik with his brow furrowed in a worried line."Erik, we have it in us to be the better man. Listen to me very carefully. Killing will not bring you any peace. I should know because I have seen what it can do to one's mind. Please, listen to me. I want you to end your warring ways."

Erik placed a finger upon Charles' lips."Shhh! Rest for now. We shall see what tomorrow brings us,"

The prince knew he cannot convince Erik overnight. He pressed his face familiarly against his king's chest and slept peacefully for the first time in a long time.

 

"Unacceptable!"

"Sacrilege! This is sacrilege, my lord!"

"Do you not care to see reason in our counsel, King Erik? Your prince husband is an abomination!"

"You've already signed a decree to have the prince executed, your majesty! He must not live! Surely, he will kill us all!"

"He's got you under a spell, your majesty! You are not of a sound mind at the moment. You are manipulated by this...this mad man!"

The prince quietly felt cowed by the outrage of Erik's advisers and court officials, for their words stung him deeply. Charles did his utmost to keep his head held high, trembling slightly in his seat, fearing that the people would attack him and drag him out into the town square. The horrendous memory of his own mother dragged into Shi'ar's square flashed before his eyes and he struggled to quell these frightful images of her torture and mutilation from his thoughts. Remembering how his mother died wrenched such painful feelings in his heart and mind, enough to drive him insane with hate and rage again, but then he felt tiny and soft hands gently grasping his fingers and he looked down at his son David. David's solemn eyes regarded him tenderly; the child comprehended the tempest within him like an adult would.

_They cannot harm you, Father. I shall protect you._

Charles' chin quivered and he drew his son close so he could kiss him. Only just a babe and yet David was showing him how brave he is! It is no wonder that the child behaved so solemnly. His young mind had seen the ugliness of humans and superhumans alike and yet, hope emanated from the child, which somehow gave the prince a measure of peace. Charles kept his eyes downcast, looking at his son instead to find the will to go on and put up a brave front before Erik's people. Erik himself responded to his vassals in righteous anger. As the king had requested, everyone who had knowledge of the prince's true condition and the prince’s participation in Genosha’s well-nigh subjugation attended the meeting in the throne room, where the king announced the immediate dismissal of Charles' execution. Despite the king's explanation for the pardon, some of his vassals refused to accept it, specifically his advisers and court officials.

"You dare to question my decisions? My principal adviser, Lady Grey declared the soundness of my mind! I am under no one's influence but my own! I am your king and if I decide to grant a full pardon upon my husband, it is in my power to do so! I know what drove him to do the things he has done and I have found his actions pardonable for this reason!"

The advisers and officials stubbornly responded, loudly clamoring for the prince's blood. King Erik has had enough of their umbrage. He angrily lifted a hand towards them and instantly, daggers, knives and spears came from all around the kingdom, pointed in the direction of Charles' detractors. The court officials indignantly started at this display of power in disbelief. One adviser could not help but respond brazenly.

"Have you also gone mad, my king? Have we not served your family for many years? Is this how you repay our devotion, by murdering us to fulfill your petty desires for a Genocidal prince?"

"Shut your insolent, flapping mouth, you servile coward or I shall cut out your tongue!"Erik thundered back, his expression murderous. A lone knife suddenly shot forward from among the throng of weapons, pointed directly at the impertinent official's face and causing the other to freeze up in fear. Charles suddenly leaned upon his seat next to Erik and murmured softly in his ear.

"If you hurt them, then you are no different from them. My love, remember what I have said to you last night and remember the words you said to me in my prison cell. That moment before you made love to me spoke volumes of your nobility. I want that same man in this room with me once more."

Erik's eyes widened and he turned to face Charles' calm countenance as his prince held their son in his arms. Charles nodded towards him to prompt his memory. Previously, he sensed Charles' agitation, as the other sat beside him before the congregation of their Royal household and officials, but the prince's behavior suddenly changed and he now faced his king with dignity and courage. Erik smiled at him affectionately and he nodded in response. He drew the weapons away, sending them back from whence they came. Charles was right. It would do no good to beget violence with violence, not within Genosha’s walls. He faced his officials and spoke in a commanding voice instead.

"I have spoken my piece and I henceforth decree Prince Charles' full pardon."

With this, he tore Charles' execution scroll right before the Royal officials, causing them to loudly protest and shout their negation at the king's decision. They uttered furious yells and shook their fists at the king, some of them calling for his impeachment. Charles reached for Erik's hand, his sad eyes going to the rioting officials, then to the torn sheaves of his execution order upon the carpeted floor of the throne room. It saddened him to see their hatred of him; however, he accepted their hate, for the source of their hate was his damnable sin. He cannot blame them for behaving this way. Erik held his hand tightly, doing his best to reassure his prince. One of the officials standing close to the king's throne suddenly threw a shoe towards the prince. Erik shot up from his throne, intending to shield Charles and then an odd thing happened. It was as if time became frozen for a moment in the throne room and the propelled shoe remained suspended, midair. Erik curiously stared in wonder as the protesting officials stood frozen in place like statues, while those who sided with the king and the prince remained untouched by this bizarre display of power. The shoe fell to the floor as if in slow motion. Erik realized it was Charles' doing. Charles stared intently at the men and then to Erik's surprise, Charles spoke to him within his mind.

_Come away with me, Erik. Let us leave them. Perhaps we can change their minds in time._

Erik was about to leave with Charles when another strange occurrence took place. A powerful surge of energy emanated from Charles and it spread amongst the congregation, knocking them to their feet. It did not stop there. The force spread all over the kingdom, touching the minds of every Genoshan citizen. Erik turned to Charles in his amazement.

"Was that you?"

Charles shook his head. He understood what happened even before anyone could comprehend it. He looked down at David and even though he knew what he was about to see, it did not prevent him from reacting with shock. He saw that the babe's eyes glowed with a yellow light and an electric force radiated from David's body, the sparks hurtling about and causing the child's hair to waver about with a life of its own. Charles realized that David shared Charles' thoughts and feelings with every Genoshan citizen, so that they may know the truth about their poor prince. They saw within their minds the execution of Charles' mother and everything that happened afterwards that took the prince to this point. Charles was now an open book to them and they felt the pain within Charles' heart and they shared his suffering, as if they had suffered it themselves. Cyclops, Ororo, Moira and Shadowcat, as well as every official and soldier within the kingdom felt David's ability. Henry McCoy and Logan were not spared as well. David abruptly stopped this display of unparalleled power. However, something strange happened to David's hair. David's blond locks darkened, turning black and it now fell limply from his head.

 _David, why did you do that?_ Charles asked is son telepathically.

David solemnly looked up at his father, holding his gaze. _They know the truth now. They know how you feel._

Sure enough, the officials who had earlier hated Charles behaved in a different manner. They stared at the prince intently, mesmerized by him. He saw the pity in their eyes as well as their shame over their behavior towards him. They silently regarded the prince as they remained where they stood. They contemplated the depth of what the prince had gone through. It was as if they had lived each moment with him and they felt every heart-rending pain and every sorrow. In the same way, they knew of his kind thoughts for the Genoshans and his love for the king. None of them even considered this as sorcery. They felt the truth of it deep within their bones; in their very souls. Any attempt at an apology would come off as hollow and meaningless. It seems as if a silent understanding passed between them all. The official who threw the shoe at the prince came forth and knelt before Prince Charles. As a sign of respect, he kissed the fabric from the hem of the prince's robe instead. Charles nodded to him graciously in acknowledgement. The king was too astounded by the events that it took him a moment to regain his composure. He ordered his vassals to leave and they all silently made their way out, giving the prince one last fleeting glance until only their Royal guards and Ororo remained in the room. The king nervously looked over at David who sat upon Charles' lap and decided he must discuss this privately with his husband. He ordered the Royal guards and Ororo to leave as well.

"What happened to David's hair?"

The prince shook his head weakly."I do not know, my king. I'm frightened. Is this the fulfillment of Lilandra's words?"

The king didn't know how to answer Charles' query and so he remained silent. David stared up at them, unsmiling; still a somber child indeed.

"Should we...should we consult with Lilandra, Erik? I fear for David because this is not how a superhuman child should behave. It is not normal."

Charles had read about superhumans. He studied their anatomy and development through various tomes and none came close to David's unique ability. This was beyond their knowledge. David understood his prince father's agitation yet he simply accepted it, as he had accepted his king father's reaction. King Erik knelt before his prince and his son, touching David's hair, concerned for his son's condition.

"I'll make arrangements to look for Lilandra then. I'll have my men see to that."

Charles suddenly gasped and Erik quickly looked down at David to see what caused Charles' agitation. David's hair suddenly returned to its original coloring, astounding both the prince and the king. They stared at each other, and then back at David, deeply concerned for him. Charles drew David close, nuzzling his face into his son's hair.

"David, don't ever do that again!"

David realized he had upset his prince father and reached out to touch Charles' face. _I'm sorry father._

"They thought it was your doing," The king said gravely.

"Who?"

"My officials and the Royal household, Charles. They thought you did it. I don't think they took notice of David at all." Erik was talking about that display of immense power David had cast upon the congregation and the entire city.

"Do you mean...they did not see it?"

"Yes. Only you and I saw the change in David."

"Impossible!"

"Truly no one noticed it, my prince!"

Charles grasped Erik's wrist tightly."Have your men find Lilandra as soon as possible!"

The king bent close and kissed Charles and David, murmuring his response."I will."

King Erik left his husband to deal with the matters of the state and to give the task of finding Lilandra to Banshee and Riptide, his trusted Royal Guards. He went about his day addressing his kingdom's concerns, but his thoughts were never far from Charles and David. He has given Charles the entire day to spend with David. Once the night comes, they would discuss their current predicament further. King Erik arranged another meeting with his Royal officials, which included the Lord Chamberlain and the Lord Steward; the new Grand Chancellor who took Shaw's position, along with military advisers and various court officials holding offices in his kingdom. He has reviewed the current laws and found them obsolete, demanding of his officials to help him reform the governance of his kingdom. The meeting went on for several hours until they finally reached a satisfactory conclusion and then the king went to meet with his Generals and his soldiers, bringing up the dreaded topic of Genosha's military standing among the known realms. Due to Shaw's actions, Genosha was no longer seen as a powerhouse nation, regardless if Genosha claimed many kingdoms under its belt. Even so, the king informed them of a new war strategy he is developing with the prince. He ignored the raised eyebrows and the skeptical looks of the Generals and soldiers alike. The prince was a gentle soul; that much they garnered when the prince shared his mind with them earlier. What could he possibly contribute in the king’s campaign?

 

Prince Charles spent much of his day playing with his son and attending to David’s needs, that the events from earlier this morning seemed like a distant nightmare to him. Ororo assisted him with bathing and feeding his son. Afterwards, Charles took David outside to view the city from the castle’s balcony. Due to Charles’ incarceration, he was unable to see the state of the kingdom and this was the first time he was seeing it in a long while. He breathed in the fresh air and savored the feel of the wind on his face. It overjoyed him to see the township proper alive and well. Later, he met with his king’s servants and they updated him on the state of the household and then Charles spoke to Henry McCoy and Logan regarding their position in Genosha as his Royal guards while David slept in the nursery under Ororo’s care.

“I am touched that you did not leave Genosha for my sake. You could have returned to Shi’ar and if they cared to question you, you could have told them the truth,”

“We share your sentiment, Prince Charles. We do not want both Genosha and Shi’ar to go to war. We shall remain under your service for as long as you need us,”Henry said with feeling and in the same instance, Logan nodded in agreement. However, Logan’s face appeared strangely flushed than the usual.

“Uh, your highness. I wanted to…that is…”Logan stuttered, unable to look at Prince Charles in the eye.

Charles chuckled at Logan’s unease. It was a rare sight to see him like this.”Yes, Logan?”

“Forgive me, my lord! It was I who had hit your head back when...”Logan trailed off, ashamed that he had dealt harm upon the prince. The other has always treated them as comrades rather than servants. Charles patted his shoulder, laughing it off.

“There is nothing to forgive. You had to do that to protect everyone and I’m glad you did. You prevented a catastrophe from happening. If it were not for you, I would have committed an atrocious crime. So actually, I must thank you.”

Logan exhaled a relieved breath that the prince harbored no ill-will towards him. They discussed the recent events and afterwards, Charles left them to see if David was awake. It startled Charles to find Ororo holding her palm up over David’s face, as if she was holding a light in her hand. It was a warm, soothing light and Charles observed that it helped David sleep somehow. Charles knew fire and light fascinated David. Ororo looked up at Charles, smiling shyly.

“My lord. I did not mean for you to see that.”

“Your power,”Charles breathed.

Ororo nodded then looked back to the slumbering form of Charles’ son in the cradle.

“When did your powers manifest?”

“After your imprisonment, my prince.”

Ororo lifted her hand and mist and snow formed in the air as she waved her hand about, her eyes becoming pure white orbs.”It seems I have the power to control the weather. Sometimes, I can feel a storm coming even before the first storm clouds form in the sky. It is quite strange,”

It amazed Charles that both he and Ororo shared the same strange awakening. She lived among humans and yet her latent heritage came through. It is the same for him. Although his father, King Raphael was a Phaser, Charles gained his abilities as a Superhuman instead. Charles reached out to hold Ororo’s hand in his.

“Does it still frighten you?”

Ororo nodded.”Yes. I fear I might harm someone one day,”

“I feel the same, but nevertheless, I have come to accept this strange gift as a part of my existence. I know my powers are dangerous, but if I take a better path, I can use my gifts to help those in need, regardless if they are Superhumans or humans.”

Ororo smiled back at him, full of admiration for the prince's spirit.”You are truly a good man, your majesty,”

"I strive to be one. For my husband and for my son," Charles murmured softly and touched David's chest as the child slept on.

 

A man purposefully walked down the dank and narrow pathway of the cave, finally reaching his destination. Sitting upon a golden and filigreed chair in the middle of the cave, surrounded by his thugs, Shaw stared at the crackling fire before him, waiting in the shadows; waiting for the day that he shall pounce and smite King Erik and destroy Genosha. The man bent close to Shaw's ear and whispered words that brought a smile upon his lips.

"He lives, your Grace. The Prince lives!"

Shaw laughed softly at this news, running his fingers over his lips. He had thought it was such a waste, when he learned that Prince Charles will be executed, but lo and behold, King Erik changed his mind somehow. Shaw thought the prince was initially an insignificant pawn; a blue-eyed innocent on the sidelines, but then he realized that the prince was a useful ally after all. Once he got his clutches on the prince, he could use the prince's powers to his advantage. Not only would the prince's powers help him conquer all the realms, the prince could grant him the power to rule the entire universe.

"Make the necessary preparations! I want Prince Charles to join our ranks. I'm sure we'll find something to make him more...compliant."Shaw smiled malevolently to himself as he thought of the ways he could use Prince Charles.

 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here is Chapter 13. Sorry for the delays. Had internet issues aside from my busy schedule. This chapter is a bit abrupt, but I'm only highlighting the key events that will round things up for the coming chapters. To my dear readers, thanks for your continued support for my fics <3

 

 

Finding the elusive Lilandra was easier said than done. Banshee and Riptide visited town after town and village after village for news of Lilandra. Whenever they heard of any news pertaining to sorcery, no matter how ludicrous, they would visit that location. They would patiently ask their questions and should they deem the rumor a fallacy, they would head on to the next town. Months dragged on and the fruitlessness of their quest quietly frustrated them. After one such disappointing journey, they rode into another town upon beasts of burden, watching the sun slowly drag down the boiling blue sky. Their latest rumor led them into the desert this time.

"What irks me of this quest is that we will not even get to attend Cyclops' wedding!"Banshee said dejectedly, his beast riding close to Riptide's steed.

"You're puling over that? There won't even be a wedding once Shaw declares war upon Genosha! You've heard the rumors, haven't you? Shaw's gathering an army against King Erik."

Banshee nodded grimly at this. Everyone knew that Shaw was on the move. Shaw had already formed alliances with the rulers King Erik previously deposed and Shaw's been recruiting the nomads of the north as well. Eventually, Shaw will return to Genosha and attack using his newly formed army. Nevertheless, King Erik didn't intend to sit idly by and wait for Shaw to annihilate him and his people. He had already rallied forth his own army, even bringing in soldiers from the kingdoms he had claimed, recruiting more from further into the southern realm. Before he and Riptide left for their quest, they proudly watched their king's army practicing out in the fields and honing their fighting skills. Even though war is a terrible thing indeed, he couldn't help but feel a sense of exhilaration, thinking of the impending battle. It would be the greatest honor if he died out in the battlefield for his king. Riptide thought the same as they rode under the sweltering skies. They quietly mused over the state of events, confident that their side will come out of this victorious. At this instant, they passed upon a narrow stretch of arid land surrounded by jagged hills. Banshee suddenly looked over at Riptide, concerned.

"Riptide, did you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"The ground. It feels odd and my steed seems rather uneasy upon it."

Mesmerized, they stared at the ground, which seemed to swell and undulate like the sea. They were too distracted by their thoughts that they noticed this odd occurrence a little too late. The ground seemed to liquefy beneath their beasts, as the animals began to growl and stomp about uneasily, struggling to come away from the viscous soil. The purplish soil slowly began to darken, turning into a tar-like substance and then their beasts started howling helplessly as the ground sucked them further down along with their riders. Riptide tried to use his powers, willing the wind to pull them from their sticky prison, but for some reason, his powers failed to work. Certainly, this wasn't a normal pathway, but they couldn't do anything about it anymore. Their beasts had disappeared into the black silt and now, only their heads hovered above the devouring soil. They screamed and fought desperately for purchase, but no one came to save them. Eventually, the pathway became as silent as a grave with only the gust of a sudden wind blowing through it, seeming to howl despairingly up at the empty skies.

 

 

"Are you going back to that place again?"Magda demanded of her son as Pietro moved about his bedroom, looking for special goggles.

"It can't be helped, mother. The king asked for my presence."

Magda's face grew pale, suddenly realizing what Pietro intended to do. She flung a quick glance towards her daughter, Wanda as the other stared at them silently. The siblings were opposites of each other. Pietro was the headstrong one, while Wanda was the submissive and doting daughter. Pietro, due to his powers, became prone to mischief, while Wanda behaved in a saintly manner. In despair, Magda grabbed Pietro's arm, openly weeping.

"Don't go! I beg of you, don't go!"

Pietro regarded his mother patiently, understanding why she took him and his sister away from Genosha. When Magda found out that she was pregnant by the king, she did everything to come away from the king's ruthlessness. She didn't want her children growing up with a warlord for a father. She wanted a peaceful life for them and yet even now, Pietro's curiosity over his heritage drew him back into the very place his mother abhorred. She recalled the nights of iniquity within the king's bedchambers, the cruelty of the other concubines and the meanness of the king's people. This was all she ever knew. She did not see the king's gentle side towards Charles, nor did she know of the king's true character. Pietro gently pulled away from her and touched her shoulders.

"Mother, it is my birthright, to know my real father. I don't begrudge you for taking me away from Genosha, but now that I am grown, I must meet him for myself and perhaps, I will come to understand my existence."

"So all these years you've lived with us, you have not found yourself, brother? Is that what you are saying?"Wanda countered, angrily staring at her brother for hurting their mother's feelings.

Pietro sighed and went towards his sister, doing his best to avoid gazing at his mother."Come with me, then. Don't you want to meet the man who fathered you?"

Wanda's eyes flashed up at him and she pushed him away, hard."I care not for that brute! Come mother, let us leave this fool! Eventually he will come to his senses!"

Wanda led their distraught mother away, leaving Pietro to sigh wearily and stare down upon his feet.

Pietro gazed at his reflection upon the mirror. His silvery hair had grown longish, grazing his shoulders. He inherited more of his mother's features than those of his father's. He has his mother's brown eyes and the shape of her face, however, he had inherited his father's cruel grin and stubbornness. He smoothed down his silver coat and secured his utility belt and then, drawing in a bracing breath, he sped out of his room, lightning-quick, nearly halfway into Genosha as he headed for King Erik's castle. He was too quick for anyone to see him. They only sensed his coming, like a gust of wind he rushed past then until he came to a halt before the Captain of the Guard, Cyclops.

"Ah, my young friend! We've been expecting you! The king and his prince consort awaits you!"

Pietro's brow furrowed at that. When he entered Genosha, things weren't quite what he expected them to be. He recalled when his mother hinted of the debaucheries that supposedly occurred daily in Genosha, but he saw no such indecency when he entered the shining gates of the citadel. These were decent folk he encountered. Formerly, numerous concubines resided within the castle, but he saw none any longer. He heard that the king only had fond feelings for his prince consort and this drew Pietro's curiosity. He wondered what manner of a person the prince is. He had heard of men marrying other men before, only adopting children or even using sorcery to continue their lineage and he heard that the king and the prince fathered a son together, using the powers of a witch. The child, in this case, was his younger brother. Cyclops led him towards the throne room and for a moment, he felt a lump in his throat, finally coming face to face with the king. King Erik looked like quite an imposing figure. He is wearing the usual priestly garb common in Genosha, his entire outfit wine-colored and lined with black and gold piping, his magnificent purple cape trailing at his back. Next to him sat a handsome young man, who seemed to be of the same age as him and he could see that this young man was very fair, his eyes startlingly very blue and his dark brown hair cut short. Whereas the king appeared noble and intimidating, the prince seemed gentle, yet he held himself with grace and dignity, wearing pale blue and white robes, markedly different from the king's garment, while holding a child in his arms. This was Pietro's brother, prince David. Even the babe behaved in a somber and regal manner, regarding him with solemn eyes.

"Bow before the king and the prince!"Cyclops whispered into his ear, reminding him to show some respect for his sovereign and not gawp up at him like a fool. Pietro immediately bowed down, placing a fist to his left chest and then he lifted his head to address the Royal family. Cyclops then addressed the king with a greeting of his own, bowed low and left.

"Your majesties. It is an honor to stand before you,"Pietro said softly.

King Erik gestured for him to come closer."Come forth, young man! I'd like to see your face!"

Pietro slowly made his way towards the king and as he drew closer, he noticed the young prince regarding him strangely, his eyes seeming to see into Pietro's soul. The prince smiled at him kindly, nodding in encouragement and Pietro suddenly felt at ease for some reason.

King Erik smiled at him as well."Ah you look like your mother! How is Magda? Is she well?"

Pietro nodded somberly."Yes, your majesty. She sends you her greetings."

King Erik laughed gaily at that."Good! You know, your mother was my court favorite. She's sharp-tongued, but her wit and her affection has served me well, both in and out of bed!"

The prince suddenly nudged at the king's arm, blushing at his lack of good graces. King Erik shrugged and reached for his husband's shoulder, kissing the prince unabashedly upon the cheek.

"Well, it is true! Would you rather I say some lie?"

"No, my love, but do restrain your tongue and conduct yourself before the children."Prince Charles chided him gently. The prince meant David and Pietro, of course. The king sighed in resignation and faced Pietro once more.

"Very well. Let me get straight to the point. I invited you here with a proposition, Pietro, if you are willing to take on my offer."

"How may I serve you, my king?"Pietro said humbly.

"I invite you to become part of my Royal Guard. Cyclops recommended that I offer you this position, seeing as your skills would prove most useful in my campaign. As you know, Sebastian Shaw, my sometime chancellor intends to depose me and attack our peaceful land with his army. I do not wish any harm to come to my people, as well as to the citizens residing within the outskirts of Genosha. Therefore, I am offering you a chance to fight for your family's safety,"

Pietro heard of the rumors, but then his expression became grim when he realized that Shaw might come with his army and destroy their hard-earned peace. Even though his family didn't reside in Genosha, preferring the solitary hillside nearby, he wouldn't allow anyone to harm his family. Inflamed by his righteous anger over Shaw's evil intentions, he bowed low and spoke in a determined voice.

"My king, you need not say anything more. You have my allegiance!"

He suddenly heard the prince gasp and when he looked up, he could see Prince Charles staring at him intently, his eyes trembling with feeling. Confused, Pietro looked to the king and then to the prince, wondering what it could be that troubled the king's consort.

"What is it, Charles?"Erik asked his prince and then Charles reached for his husband's shoulder and conveyed his thoughts using his telepathy. Erik started in shock when he gained knowledge of Pietro's identity. Pietro...was his son. Since he married Charles and fathered a son by him, Pietro could not lay any claim to the throne, for David was King Erik's true royal heir, however, it appears that wasn't Pietro's intention. He only wanted to know what King Erik was like. King Erik slowly turned to face Pietro, as the other stood before them, brow furrowed in wonder. He wasn't aware of Prince Charles' telepathic powers. Prince Charles turned to regard Pietro kindly, a soft smile playing about his lips. Pietro became uneasy, just with Charles' penetrating stare. Surprisingly, he heard a voice speaking within his head and he immediately knew it wasn't a voice of his own fabrication. It was Prince Charles' voice.

_Don't be afraid. I bear you no ill will. I know who you are and Erik now knows you are his son. Please, do not hate him for his past actions. He is a good man now._

Pietro stepped back, his eyes going wide. He flung a quick glance towards the prince and thence towards the king, who regarded him kindly as well. Only the babe, who sat solemnly upon his prince father's lap unsettled him. They communicated via telepathy and then the king stood up from the throne and carefully made his way towards Pietro.

"Son?"Erik in a wary voice, wondering over Pietro's true thoughts. Pietro wasn't an affectionate child, even while he was young and he wasn't about to hug the king. He just stood there, trembling slightly and hoping that the king would accept him as he is. It surprised Pietro when his father reached out to clutch the back of his neck, his grip strong and yet his touch was affectionate.

"You're my son."King Erik said with feeling, but somehow knowing that Pietro didn't want to embrace him—for he was still a stranger to him—he pulled away and beamed at him proudly instead. Prince Charles came closer to them as well. Even though Pietro felt uncomfortable due to the Prince's strange powers, he allowed the other to touch his arm.

"You have a sister, yes? She's different from you, but you love her deeply, as you love your own mother,"

"H-How did you know?"Pietro said tightly, astounded that Charles knew so much about him.

The prince smiled at him calmly."I just do. Will you stay for a while? I believe Erik has many questions he would like to ask you. If you are willing to stay, I will leave you both to catch up on things,"

Pietro nodded, too dumbfounded to say anything else and then the prince left the king and the young man together. Prince Charles took David with him and he explained his actions to David. He then took David into his private bedchamber, playing with his son and feeding him. After a few hours had passed, he felt Erik's presence before the other entered his room. His power allowed him to gain some insight into things and to sense those around him. He felt Erik draw near and then he felt Erik's arms encircling him, the other kissing his head affectionately.

"Thank you, Charles."

"Will he come back to us?"Charles asked, but he already knew the answer.

"Yes. He'll take Magda and Wanda with him when they visit us tomorrow. Charles, I hope you don't mind, but I invited Pietro and his family to come live with us. I assure you, I have no intention of bedding with Magda any longer for my body and soul belongs only to you, but-"

Charles turned around and placed a finger upon Erik's lips, laughing softly."Of course, my love. I accept!"

They kissed passionately, only stopping when David began to coo and fuss.

 

 

Meanwhile, Cyclops and Lady Grey argued over their marital plans. Lady Grey wanted them to wed as soon as possible, but Cyclops wanted to wait until the impending war ends. He wanted to marry Jean during a time of peace. Lady Grey wouldn't have any of it and crossed her arms before herself, turning away from him angrily.

"What does it matter if we wed immediately? Don't you dare give me that stupid excuse about the war! What if by the time this war ends, we don't even get to marry? What if I lose you to that war and I won't even know you as a husband?"Lady Grey cried out, tears of frustration streaming down her face as she glared at Cyclops.

Cyclops helplessly regarded her, quietly frustrated because of their conflicting ideas. Lady Grey stepped towards him and leaned into his chest, crying softly. She lifted her head to kiss his lips, gently running her fingers upon his cheeks.

"I love you, Scott. I want to marry you and have your children. I can't wait for another lifetime to pass me by before that happens. The only moment we have is now. What of this war? What of it? I'd rather marry you, even as this city burns, than not have any part of you at all!"

"Jean!"Cyclops said with feeling and then he embraced her tightly, crying despite his visor blocking his eyes from her view. He came to an agreement with her instead. They will wed within a few days, however, Cyclops promised her a renewal of vows once the war comes to an end. She readily accepted and rushed off to announce the news of her wedding to her family and friends. She informed King Erik and Prince Charles as well and they both gave her their blessings. The king aided them with their hasty wedding preparations, even allowing them to use The King's previous wedding venue for their vows. In the same way, Charles assisted Jean with her wedding garment and organized their wedding feast, along with finding a priest to wed them. Regardless if the wedding was hastily made, it was obvious that Cyclops and Jean loved each other dearly, their marriage only serving to solidify their love and that night, Charles gave Cyclops a wondrous gift. Using his telepathic power, he stopped Cyclops' eyes from emitting their dangerous beams, removing the other's visor from him.

"Open your eyes so that you may see the one you love."Charles whispered into his ear and Cyclops reluctantly squinted, but then to his surprise, his eyes didn't shoot forth any optic blasts. He blinked, his eyesight slightly blurry and then he finally saw Jean for the first time, without the use of his visor and without a reddish tint over his vision. Jean was crying and trembling, overcome with emotion and she rushed into Cyclops' arms and hugged him fiercely. They kissed torridly before their guests, but Jean didn't care. She pulled back to gaze into Scott's warm blue eyes and then she turned to Charles and embraced him as well.

"Thank you, my prince! Thank you so much!"

"Well go on, have fun in the wedding chamber and have the tupping of your life!"King Erik teased and everyone laughed when Cyclops began to blush furiously. Jean grabbed Cyclops' arm and they hurried into the bed chamber, while their guests and closest friends celebrated their marriage with a feast, toasting to their good health and their fidelity. Even Charles and Erik weren't immune to the newlywed's influence, recalling their own heated moments in the wedding chamber, which lasted for three days and three nights. Erik kissed Charles torridly when he got him alone, grinding his body against Charles. He missed making love to Charles all night long. Now, they could only have brief moments of pleasure, due to Erik's busy schedule. Cyclops and Jean's wedding was the perfect excuse to revisit their squalid lust for each other.

They made love in the king's bedchamber, with Charles using his powers to make the moment even more pleasurable for them both and in the same instance, Charles used his power to control Cyclops' eyesight. It was an astounding feat, but Charles heightened Erik's arousal tenfold, accessing the pleasure centers of Erik's memory system and giving him such an amazing orgasm he had never felt before. Erik's telepathic concubines couldn't even equal Charles' prowess. Erik ended up screaming in ecstasy and it echoed all through the halls, much to everyone's chagrin.

"Charles, you're amazing!"Erik gasped after Charles slid to side. Charles had just climaxed while riding Erik's cock and he felt deeply satisfied, holding on to Erik and enjoying the spasms of pleasure than ran through his body. Scott and Jean also heard the king's ecstatic screaming and they laughed after they finished their own lovemaking, lying next to each other and embracing affectionately. These days of bliss lasted for three days and three nights, as was the custom, however after these joyful moments, the moment of Shaw's horrors brought it all to a halt.

Shaw laid siege to the northern realms with the intent of ransacking and pillaging the resources of the lesser kingdoms, his soldiers raping women and men alike indiscriminately, killing their victims afterwards and mutilating their corpses. They burned the neighboring forests along with the desecrated kingdoms, leaving only ash and death in its wake. Erik heard of Shaw's actions and a cold dread ran through him, sickened by Shaw's deeds. These are the actions of a true savage. King Erik may have conquered so many kingdoms, but he had never done something as dishonorable as this. He is the son of a king, with God-like powers and unparalleled nobility. If Shaw should succeed with his plans and destroyed Genosha, it would further besmirch the Superhuman race in the eyes of their human counterparts. He must stop Shaw at all cost.

King Erik busied himself by overseeing his own edicts and making sure they are fulfilled. He sent rescue troops to help Shaw's surviving victims and without delay, made preparations for war, assembling his army and gathering more men to patrol the surrounding area, ensuring their safety against Shaw's spies. He had his engineers create weapons, arming themselves against Shaw's weaknesses. The Prince knew that this was a necessary measure and so he did not question his husband's decision. He heard of the horrible things Shaw had done and if blood must be spilled to protect Genosha, then so be it. He wanted to help Erik in any way he can. He didn't want to just sit idly by. He practiced using his powers in Erik's sparring room, unbeknownst to the king. As the days passed, his skill grew and it excited him that his telepathy would finally be useful to Erik should Shaw ever attempt to attack Genosha once more.

After a day of practicing, he was walking down the hallway, intending to head towards Prince David's nursery when Riptide and Banshee appeared before him, as if they've been teleported.

"Banshee! Riptide! Have you brought us any news of Lilandra?"Prince Charles cried out anxiously. Prince David's condition still preyed heavily upon his mind and he wanted to understand why David behaved the way he did.

Both men bowed low before the prince. Banshee lifted his head and spoke quietly."Your highness, we have met with Lilandra. She has sent you her invitation, but the invitation extends only to you, and you alone,"

Charles' brow furrowed at this."We must inform the king! Surely he must know-"

Riptide grimly shook his head."No, my prince. The king mustn't know of this. Lilandra has sworn us to secrecy. She said she has a cure for Prince David."

"The king will question my whereabouts. I must tell him something!"

Charles' agitation didn't allow him to think straight. Something didn't feel right about this entire affair, and yet his concern for David clouded his judgement. He didn't stop to peruse the minds of his husband's trusted vassals. He came to a sudden decision.

"I'll tell the king I am visiting my sister. I shall leave with you at once!"

 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! A new update for you. It's kind of a cliff-hanger. I have to warn you it's a bit dark, but I promise, I will follow-up on this one soon. Just remember that I always end my fics with a happy ending even if the situation gets angsty or awful. Let me hold your hand at this point and gently tell you that all will be well. :) <3

 

Charles felt uneasy over the entire matter. His own gut feeling told him something was wrong, but he naively thought that Lilandra's ways always made him uneasy in the first place. Therefore, he assumed that the way Banshee and Riptide behaved seemed at best, something of Lilandra's doing. He recalled his conversation with Erik before, of how Lilandra had put a spell on him by simply invading his consciousness. He thought the same had befallen his husband's royal guards. They seemed vacant and he felt loathe to enter their minds, for fear that he'd encounter Lilandra's thoughts controlling them. Since David's well-being is of the utmost importance to him—even though it would mean sacrificing his own safety—he had to find out for himself if Lilandra did indeed have the means to heal David's affliction. He agreed to go with them, but only if his own guards could come with him, otherwise if he didn't take them along, Erik might grow suspicious. Erik's royal guards eventually relented and they began to make the preparations for Charles' departure. Charles visited Erik in his private chancery while the other was busily signing off some documents.  Lady Grey was not present for the nonce, much to Charles' relief.  She's a rather sharp woman and Charles wouldn't put it past her if she began to sense that something was amiss. Charles did not knock to announce his presence, but opened the door quietly instead. From the doorway, Prince Charles silently stared at King Erik, his gaze loving and full of affection. Truly, he felt blessed that he had the love of such a handsome and doting husband. The sunlight pouring in through the window threw an interplay of shadow and light upon the king's regal features as he studiously read the documents in his hands. King Erik suddenly sensed Charles' presence and turned his penetrating gaze over to him. Before he could hail a greeting, Charles spoke in a rush.

"Erik, may I have a word?"

King Erik quickly smiled at him."What is it, my prince?"

The prince swallowed thickly and entered the room, closing the door. Lying to his king was difficult for him, but he had to do it, for David's sake.

"I know you're busy, but my sister sent forth a letter, inviting me to visit Shi'ar. I shan't be taking David with me on this journey. Ororo will care for him during my absence and I shall be away for two days at most with my own guards. Would...Would you allow me to go?"

In response, the king regarded him gently. Then, King Erik walked over to him and gave him a brief hug. Erik suddenly reached up and gently stroked his cheek.

"Go if you must, but please, come back to me, as soon as you can."

It made the prince feel guilty that his husband did not question him further, trusting him unconditionally.

"I shall, my king!"Charles embraced him and planted a passionate kiss upon his lips. The king momentarily opened his eyes to gaze at his beloved. Oddly enough, a tear slid from the side of Charles' left eye, his expression pained and Erik saw it as they continued to kiss. King Erik pulled back, holding on to Charles' shoulders.

"Why are you crying?"Erik said softly.

Charles' blue eyes widened and he immediately reached up to wipe at his eyes. He thought up of a quick excuse."It...It is because I leave you with a heavy heart, my love. I do not wish to go without you."

King Erik nodded in understanding. He reached for Charles to embrace him once more."Your sister asked for you. Surely, we must oblige her. I would like to join you, but we are living in dire times and my people require my constant presence here in the kingdom,"

The prince sighed, nuzzling his face against his king's chest, wishing he could hold him like this for a while longer and then, struggling with his conflicted thoughts, he parted from the king, giving his husband a hasty goodbye lest he lose his resolve. He rushed off towards his bedchamber to prepare for his trip. He called forth his own royal guards after he had finished his preparations. He told them of his plans to meet with Lilandra. However, Logan shared his doubts over this secret meeting. It certainly did not sit well with him too and he voiced out his suspicions.

"Your highness, I dare not to question you, but don't you find it rather odd that the witch only wanted to see you and not the king?"

Prince Charles could not hide his unease from his men."I did question Banshee and Riptide about it, but they advised me that it's Lilandra's way. I've known her to do strange things to men's minds. She even controlled me. I am sure she's done something to my husband's guards,"

Henry McCoy pushed his spectacles up over the bridge of his blue-furred nose, his eyes narrowing down."My prince, both you and Logan are evidently troubled by this for a reason. I am perturbed myself that the king's Royal guards are behaving strangely. Shall we consider the possibility that Riptide and Banshee defected towards Shaw's ideation? That perhaps Shaw might be using them to capture you?"

Charles' eyes widened at that. It made sense that Shaw would stoop to such a level; to use him as a bargaining chip for Erik's surrender. However, Shaw wouldn't have known that Banshee and Riptide were on a quest to find Lilandra. Their mission was a secret known only to the royal couple; not even the captain of the guard knew and Erik had enthused upon the trustworthiness of his men. For this reason, Charles also trusted his husband's judgment. Another key point was the lack of a controlling presence emanating from them. Although Charles could not see into their minds, his acute senses informed him of this fact. He shared his view with his men and even though it perturbed them, they followed their prince towards the outer hangar to meet with Banshee and Riptide.

 

Pietro had just acquired his uniform from Cyclops. The captain of the guard advised him that since he has now become part of the king's Royal guard, he must follow the rules like everyone else. He must don the standard royal guard uniform to indicate his position. Because of his speed, he quickly changed clothes from whence he stood in the courtyard between the king's castle and the outer hangar. No one could see his movements anyway. He hid his own clothes elsewhere in the garden, intending to test his new uniform when he met two odd fellows heading towards him. One has longish black hair while the other has auburn hair and fair skin. Perhaps they were heading towards the hangar where moments ago, he met with Cyclops. Cyclops had already left the hangar as well, taking one of the airships to meet his other men at a training facility. The two men heading his way seemed to walk like...automatons. Pietro grinned at them and tipped a finger their way, but the two men glowered at him instead and sneered at him simultaneously. Pietro's brow furrowed at this. Their movements did not seem natural, like they mirrored each other all too well. Pietro's curious nature got the better of him, urging him to do some mischief. He appeared to be walking away from them but he zipped quickly back towards them, his cheeks rippling with the speed of his movements and then he filched their pockets. Quick as a wink, he hid within an outcrop of trees, his smile wide and gleeful, but his smile immediately decayed into disgust as he stared at what he held in his palms; Purplish black goo, wriggling upon his skin. How could those men have something so disgusting in their pockets?

He washed his hands upon a nearby fountain and then to his pleasant surprise, he saw the prince, along with his own royal guards walking upon the main path heading towards the hangar. The hangar must be the center of much activity in the kingdom was the thought that came to Pietro. He waved towards the prince and the prince nodded towards him in acknowledgement, smiling at him calmly.

"Pietro, what brings you here?"

Grinning familiarly, Pietro zipped over to the prince and curiously circled his two guards, his steps lively and disorienting. Logan was not impressed by the young man's lack of respect towards the prince.

"Show some respect, young man! You are to bow before the prince!"

The prince quietly reached for his guard's shoulder to calm him down, making Logan look over to him."Think nothing of it, Logan. Our young friend did not mean to show me any disrespect. I am on familiar terms with him."

"Your highness?"Henry McCoy said, intrigued. He did not know that Prince Charles and this boy knew each other. He was not made aware of this until now. The young man kept giving them an insolent grin that seemed strangely familiar to Logan. Charles lifted his chin up, returning Pietro's smile.

"He's my husband's new royal guard, Pietro Maximoff. Pietro, I would like to introduce you to my own guards. They came here with me from the kingdom of Shi'ar. Their names are Henry McCoy and Logan."Charles gestured to his guards as he said their names.

"A pleasure!"Henry McCoy said warmly, extending his hand out for a handshake and Pietro took it. Logan just sourly regarded him, eyes narrowed at Pietro in suspicion. He spat out and muttered under his breath.

"Someone oughta teach the lad how to address royalty."

"Why don't you lighten up, Logan?"Henry said to him and Logan just crossed his arms before his broad chest and turned his head away. Charles sighed and rolled his eyes at Logan's stubborn nature.

"Don't worry about Logan, Pietro. It is just the way he is. May I ask though, what brings you to the garden?"

"Ah, I just met with the captain of the guard. He gave me this uniform!"Pietro announced gaily and turned around to show Charles his outfit. Charles nodded in admiration and then he reached out to clasp one of Pietro's hands.

"It suits you! I am only glad that we have you on our side. I would love to continue our conversation, but please excuse us for now, Pietro. We are off on a journey towards Shi'ar and we must make haste!"

Pietro nodded in understanding and bowed before the prince to humor Logan."I wish you a safe journey then, your highness!"

Charles smiled at him graciously and continued to walk towards the hangar with his guards. Pietro had wanted to talk to the prince about the two odd fellows he met earlier. He took note of the direction they went to, his brow furrowed. He then made his way towards the king's castle. Supposedly, he was to meet with the other royal guards for his formal induction. However, Cyclops informed him to meet with the king first in the private chancery so that the king might have a word or two with him. Cyclops had deduced the king might have some mission for the young man, when in this case, the king's intention was to spend time with his son. Cyclops was not made privy to the knowledge that Pietro was the king's son by Lady Maximoff, the king's former courtesan.

Pietro knocked upon the door of the chancery. He felt slightly uneasy. Even though the king had spoken to him kindly before, he was still a stranger to him. Surprisingly, the king greeted him with genuine warmth and invited him to sit so they might get to know each other more. The king asked about his family and where he acquired his education and Pietro excitedly stammered his response. Magda and Wanda now resided in a manor close to the king's castle, but they refused to set foot into the castle proper. Despite their wariness towards the king, the king did not force them to face him. In time, the king hoped that they would be on amicable terms. Pietro, wanting to tell the king about his intriguing encounters that day, asked about the two odd men he met down the length of the garden path of the hangar. Pietro accurately described them to King Erik, causing the other to frown.

"Do you know them, your majesty?"

"Riptide and Banshee? Why, they are off on a quest for me! They could not have returned without reporting to me firsthand."

Pietro's face fell at this."My apologies, your majesty. If we are talking about the same men, then I did see them. They were heading towards the hangar. They behaved quite oddly; walking stiffly, like moving statues. They have this strange black substance in their pockets. Oh and while I was heading out here to meet you, I met Prince Charles. He was making his way to the hangar as well. He mentioned he was off on a trip to Shi'ar,"

The king's face grew even stormier at this. Even though it might appear unrelated, Pietro's information about Riptide and Banshee, along with Charles' departure for Shi'ar bothered him greatly. He stood up quickly, startling his son.

"F-Father?"

King Erik didn't stop to explain himself. He immediately began to run down the long halls and passages of the castle, his face set worriedly. He then used his powers to levitate his body, hurtling himself towards the hangar at breakneck speed, his red cape rippling violently in the wind. He hoped that he wasn't too late. He landed at the entrance of the hangar, surprising his guards and then several men from inside bowed before him in greeting.

"The prince? Has he left with Riptide and Banshee?"He demanded of one of the controllers from the hangar.

"I'm afraid so, your majesty. Riptide informed me their destination was Shi'ar-"

At this, the king cut him off at mid-sentence as he grabbed at the man's collar, shaking him about."How could it be Riptide? He left on a mission! He's been away for months now and has not reported to me that he has returned! Did none of our scanners confirm that the man you spoke to was Riptide?"

The men in the hangar realized that they have made a grave mistake. They trembled and quailed before the king, fearful of his wrath. Scanners were telepaths specifically tasked with detecting intruders and doppelgangers. However, the men in the hangar failed to secure the services of a scanner. Mustering his courage, one of the men admitted that they did not have a scanner in their midst. King Erik's face crumpled up in rage upon hearing this, his eyes blazing furiously. He called for his men to bring Lady Grey into the hangar, along with Pietro Maximoff. When Lady Grey arrived, Erik asked her to view the minds of the men within the hangar to determine if they had indeed spoken to Riptide or Banshee. When she finished viewing their minds, she shared this disquieting news to the king.

"They did speak to Riptide and Banshee, but my king, they did not seem like the men we know."

The king exhaled a shaky breath at this and then he faced Pietro, his expression grim."Pietro, you mentioned you drew some black substance from their pockets?"

"Yes, your majesty, but I washed my hands of it in the fountain within your garden path."

"Show us where it is!"King Erik said abruptly.

Pietro led them towards the fountain and due to the clear waters, the king immediately saw the black ichor floating upon it. The king quickly fished it out and placed it upon Lady Grey's palm.

"Do you sense anything about it, Jean?"

Lady Grey closed her eyes, trying to sense the life force that once clung to the black and sticky substance. Her eyes flew open, her expression horrified.

"My king it is Klyntar! A known criminal from the forests of the north! He's a symbiote. He can shape-shift into anything!"

King Erik's worst fears were now confirmed. His heart began to beat painfully within his chest, a cold ball forming within his belly and spreading all over his body. Shouting out an incomprehensible cry, he hurried back into the hangar to give chase to Charles' airship by ordering his men to prepare a ship for his use. They could not have gone far. By this time, Cyclops was now in the hangar, the men briefing him on the situation and then Cyclops offered to accompany the king. Pietro joined them as well and they now set a course towards Shi'ar, unaware that Prince Charles and is royal guards headed towards a different course.

 

Now that they have cut the distance between them and the Genoshan kingdom, Riptide and Banshee's deception slowly began to manifest itself. While in the airship, the two Royal guards remained taciturn, even moving strangely, mimicking each other's movements and facial expressions in such an unnatural manner.

Henry and Logan exchanged meaningful stares with the prince. Henry drew closer to the prince, whispering in his ear."My prince, these men are not the men we knew. They have duped us!"

Charles realized he had put himself and his men's lives in danger. He should have trusted his own instincts.

As their ship flew further into the desert, Logan attempted to talk to the two guards, only to have one of them knock him away and then Riptide stood up, his arms now replaced by black tentacles and then his face melting downwards.They all knew the game was up.

A fight began to ensue within the airship as Logan and Henry fought with the monstrous Riptide. Meanwhile, Banshee navigated the ship, ignoring the brawling at his back. What of the prince? Prince Charles had intended to use his powers on Riptide and Banshee, but to his immense shock, purplish-black tentacles clamped gold bands upon his wrists and his ankles. He knew that these gold bands were of the same metal made from Shi'ar. Somehow, these monsters knew about his weakness. Initially confused, he didn't know where the tentacles came from until he noticed that the tentacles emerged from Banshee's feet. Charles tried to help his men, using a knife to cut at the sticky tentacle entrapping him, but Banshee's tentacles began to wrap itself around him. He screamed for Logan and Henry, but Riptide blocked their way.

Hissing malevolently, Riptide restrained both Henry and Logan on to the ship's floor. He wrapped his tentacles around them as well and as they struggled, the tentacles began to melt on to their bodies, pinning them to the floor. They struggled helplessly as both Riptide and Banshee began to merge, dragging the prince along and using one ropy tentacle to suppress the prince. They were one creature after all.

"Logan! Henry! One of you must escape! Inform the king of-"The prince shouted towards them, but the creature hissed at the prince's words. The creature slapped a piece of sticky black goo on to Prince Charles' mouth to gag him.

Logan roared, using his claws to rip the tentacle from his body. Then, what happened next, happened quite fast. The creature slapped a device with a blinking light on to the ship's console before crashing through the windshield, taking the prince along with it. Logan immediately knew it was a bomb and instead of going after the prince, he tore at Henry's restraints and they both jumped outside the windshield following the creature's escape. The explosion burgeoned forth from the console and it threw them outward with its full force. The burning ship went careening towards the red sands of the desert while Logan and Henry were bodily hurtled away, both men losing consciousness due to their bodies rolling violently down the sand slopes.

The prince could only watch as the black smoke rose from the burning remains of his airship, sparks and explosions throwing an orange glow over the scene. He hoped that both his men had escaped to inform the king of his capture. He felt like such a fool for allowing this thing to happen. The gag over his mouth began to make him feel faint and he suddenly blacked out, his unconscious body jostled about as Klyntar carried him into the desert towards a hidden airship.

When Charles came to, he winced at the pain at the back of his neck. He'd been hanging from his restraints for hours, bound and chained on to a stone wall. His captors had taken his clothes from him, leaving only his dark brown trousers. He was in some place dim, the strong smell of damp earth rising to his nostrils. He was in a cave. Charles lifted his head and then he slowly looked about. To his horror, he saw two other men restrained and bound on to the wall opposite from him. Riptide and Banshee! Both men seemed unconscious. He called out to them softly and then Banshee feebly lifted his bloodied face towards the prince. Riptide remained unresponsive, his black hair hanging over his face, hiding the blood that also covered it.

"Your highness! Forgive us! They used us to trick you into leaving the castle! Riptide and I knew, the moment they used our likeness."

"Are you hurt?"Prince Charles asked, concerned.

"They've...They've taken something from our minds and used it to fuel their monster. I fear we may soon die, my prince."

"No!"Charles cried out, agonized that he could do nothing for Erik's men.

A voice suddenly resounded from the narrow passageway of their prison."Ah, the prince has finally awoken!"

Prince Charles' face crumpled up angrily. He was now face to face with Sebastian Shaw, formerly the Grand Chancellor of Genosha, now a renegade intent on war. How he loathed the man's face! That hateful, sneering countenance! Shaw had dressed himself in stately black and red robes, even wearing a crown as if he thought he was already a king. Shaw tittered to himself, watching the prince squirm and glower out at him. He mocked a bow towards the prince, his smile malevolently gleeful. His eyes raked over the prince's vulnerable body.

"I must thank you, my prince. Had it not been for your powers, I would not have escaped from Genosha. I would not have had the capacity to form my great army. Allow me to extend my gratitude by killing everyone in Genosha once we take over King Erik's kingdom."

"You filth! You murderer! Do you think you could use me to force my husband to surrender? You are sorely mistaken! Even if you kill me, my husband will see to it that I'm avenged!"

Shaw began to laugh derisively, shaking his head at the prince's naivety."My prince, I wish no harm to come to you, nor do I intend to use you into forcing the king to surrender. To point out the obvious, my intention is to secure you as an ally against the king. I want to make an example of him. I want him to suffer as I destroy Genosha and obliterate it down to the very last rubble using your powers."

Charles glared out at Shaw vehemently."I shall never submit to you!"

Shaw's grin widened insolently."We shall see about that my handsome young prince. We shall see!"

Shaw drew closer to the prince and then to the prince's disgust, Shaw began to caress his thighs, squeezing covetously at them. Shaw nuzzled his face on to Charles' neck breathing in his scent. He began to kiss Charles' throat. Charles squirmed and inched away, sickened by Shaw's actions. Banshee began to struggle from his metal bonds.

"Don't touch the prince, you monster! How dare you!"

Shaw pulled back from the prince, his expression wrathful. He used his power, a green light emanating from his palm and he slapped Banshee hard against the wall. Banshee groaned, struggling to remain conscious.

"Shut your mouth, you piece of waste! This does not concern you!"

"Even if you defile me, you murderous monster, you cannot break my spirit or my will!"Charles cried out defiantly, his eyes trembling with his determination. He intended to fight and struggle to his last breath.

Shaw scoffed at the prince's attempts at bravery. He grasped at the prince's chin, forcing the other to look him directly in the eye.

"I'll break you yet, my pretty prince! Once I've broken your mind, I'll turn you into my sex slave and show King Erik how much you love sucking my cock after! Take the prince into my bed chambers!" Shaw called out to his men waiting in the passageway. The men's faces were covered by a black swath of cloth and they were wearing Shaw's preferred color of red and black upon their armor. They got into a violent scuffle with the prince as he struggled from their grasp, but they eventually forced him towards the lip of the passageway.

"No! Let him go! Let him go!"Banshee cried out weakly, angered by his own impotence. Shaw laughed cruelly as he followed his men towards his bed chambers where he planned to rape the prince. The men left Shaw and the prince in that dark bed chamber, lit only by torches attached to the walls of the cavernous room. Charles warily eyed Shaw as the other leered at him.

"Come, don't make this any harder."Shaw teased the prince, but it immensely shocked him when the prince was suddenly upon him, his speed unnatural as he flipped Shaw over on his back and slammed him on to the floor. Regardless if Shaw had him restrained with the gold bands, Charles knew the fighting skills of Shi'ar, making him capable of defending himself and Shaw did not anticipate it. Shaw cried out, the pain at his back taking his senses over. He was not able to use his powers on the prince, for fear that he might harm the prince and he had no intention of damaging the other. He called for his men and they used their powers to restrain the prince, just as the other repeatedly punched his face in. Shaw staggered to his feet, wiping at the blood upon his mouth and glowering angrily at the prince. Prince Charles defiantly met his gaze, grinning insolently.

"So you have more tricks up your sleeve, eh? I can't take you, not like this. Drug him until he's defenseless! I'll have my way with you yet, Prince Charles!"

Several men forced the prince down and one woman came forward and forced a thick, brownish liquid down his throat. Charles began to cough and gag and after they had given him the drugs, they left him alone in Shaw's bed chamber. Charles' body shook as if with ague, his limbs spasmodically stirring about upon the cold, stone floor. He quietly cried for his king, hoping the other would find him soon. Despite the drugs, Charles proved to be unrelenting, his indomitable spirit fighting against the drugs. Shaw could not molest him or touch him because of his fighting skill. Shaw could have restrained the prince and raped him, but he wanted to take the prince while he is at his most vulnerable in order to break his mind. The days passed and much to Shaw's consternation, the prince refused to break down.

"Give him more of the drug!"Shaw demanded of one of his female servants.

"Sire, we've given him increased doses of the drug, but he refuses to submit to it. If we give him any more, he might die,"

In frustration, Shaw thought of something to break the prince's will. "Infect him with sand worms then. Once they invade his brain, we can easily control his mind!"

The servant's face fell at this."Your grace, if we do that, it will disfigure the prince!"

A sand worm is a creature that latches on to a host's brain, draining the host of sustenance and vitality, even deforming the host as they multiply beneath the victim's skin. With electrical impulses and training, these creatures were widely used for mind control and deemed a brutal torment. However, the process takes some time to take effect, therefore making it ineffective for hasty brainwashing tactics.

"I don't care! Do it! Even if I cannot take his body, I shall have his mind! His powers shall take me to victory!"

Charles heard what they planned to do to him and he quietly cried to himself. They've tortured him with the drugs for days now and he didn't know how long his mind could hold on and fight. He thought of his husband's face and the face of his son, giving him some renewed courage. He cannot allow Shaw to win. He'll fight even if it meant that he would die.

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, a follow up from the last angsty chapter. I hope this makes up for it somehow T_T I think I might have rushed this one a bit but I hope you'll still enjoy it, all the same <3

 

Even though the prince had stated his destination, the king immediately knew that Charles was not truly headed for Shi'ar. King Erik had deduced that the prince had lied to him because the false Banshee and Riptide had fooled him into doing so. Still, he scoured the skies for the presence of his husband's airship, regardless if it was futile. Since Banshee and Riptide's mission was to locate Lilandra in the hope that she could provide a cure for Prince David's ailment, the king further presumed that Shaw's mercenaries had kept surveillance on his men; eventually capturing them and forcing them under torture to divulge a full account of their quest, thereby allowing Shaw to use this information to draw the prince away from the safety of the Genoshan kingdom. Only Shaw was capable of doing such an act. Prince Charles' sister could not have done such a thing to her own brother, but surely she had some knowledge about Shaw's movements. He has heard of the rumors, of Shaw approaching Shi'ar to form an alliance against Genosha. He did not know whether Queen Raven accepted Shaw's proposal or not. Then again, he wouldn't put it past her.

Cyclops worriedly glanced at the king as the other sat silently in his seat within the airship; the king's expression dark and brooding, even looking close to tears. Of course anyone would behave in much the same manner, especially if it was the abduction of someone they loved and cherished. He would have reacted that way too if something similar happened to Jean. Pietro remained oddly silent as well. Usually, the lad was talkative and hyperactive, but perhaps understanding the gravity of their situation, he kept himself in check. None of them could talk; much less feel any moment of relief. King Erik continued to ruminate over Charles' predicament. Certainly, Shaw wouldn't dare to murder the prince, but why would Shaw trick the prince into leaving Genosha? What was the reason for it? The king then determined that Shaw wanted the prince because of his telepathic powers. No superhuman could match his husband's abilities and Shaw bore witness to this awesome feat before escaping from Genosha. Shaw hungered for power to the end that he would kidnap the prince and use him in his nefarious plans. However, because of Charles' stubborn nature, the king knew that the prince would defy Shaw.

He prayed to whatever gods existed that no harm had befallen his beloved, but knowing Shaw's spiteful nature, he knew the bastard would relish doing terrible things to his husband simply because it would satisfy his lust for vengeance against his former king. Thinking about it consumed the king with both rage and despair. King Erik had always prided himself over his ability as a tactician, but due to his despondency over the prince, he couldn't think straight.

"We have an incoming message, your majesty."Cyclops murmured beside him. The king blinked as if to clear his vision. Then, sighing tiredly, he gestured for Cyclops to relay the message. They had circled the skies, intent on locating the prince's airship but they found no trace of it, nor did their navigation systems sense the other airship's presence. It was quite possible that Klyntar had dismantled the homing sensors on the Prince's ship.

"Our men scouting the desert's edge discovered the Prince's airship, my king. Apparently it has crashed into the desert. They...They did not find the prince among the ship's debris. However, our men had picked up both Logan and Henry McCoy. They are both injured."

Upon hearing this, the king gnashed his teeth together angrily and grabbed the airship's controls, recklessly turning the ship about to return the way they came. He had to see the site where the Prince's airship had crash-landed. He rashly pressed the communicator and gruffly demanded the exact location of the crash site.

"Forgive me my king, but there's…there’s a sand storm coming,"The messenger stammered.

"Let it come! I care not for it! I must see what happened to Charles' ship! Now, tell me where the ship crashed!"The king shouted tersely into the communicator.

The man on the receiving end complied and charted a course for the king. King Erik almost hurtled the ship heedlessly, ignoring Cyclops and Pietro's presence. Pietro and Cyclops could only exchange silent gazes as they worried over the king's state of mind. When they arrived at the crash site, Logan and Henry McCoy were no longer present, for the king's medical staff took the barely conscious men back into Genosha to acquire treatment. Using his powers, the king commanded a metal structure, some distance from the demolished ship's location and used it to shield the perimeter from the oncoming sandstorm. It was the king's intention to study the rubble, to gain clues that might help in locating Charles as soon as possible. If only he had the power to stop this damnable storm altogether, he would have done so. The sandstorm had dashed his hopes of ever finding Charles swiftly. Even though he now knew that Klyntar had taken the prince into the desert, he was still beset with one trial after another. Owing to the poor signal of their tracking system in the storm, he had no way of knowing which direction Klyntar took the prince and moreover, the desert is a vast land, encompassed by stone crags and a sea of red sand. It was impossible to comb the desert for a stealth ship, which their enemy had surely used to escape quickly.

"Your Majesty, Pietro and I have gathered pieces of the creature. Perhaps Jean can examine these and it might help divulge the Prince's location."

The king nodded minutely, his gaze far off and quietly distraught. Every second that passed, knowing that Charles' life was in forfeit tore at his heart. With all his power, he felt helpless against his current predicament. He could not save his beloved and it ate away at him. Since they are now caught in the sandstorm, they could not leave the safety of the metal structure King Erik had erected as a shield to protect them from the gritty storm. They waited until the storm abated before heading back into Genosha to discuss their rescue strategies for the prince. The prince's deliverance became the kingdom’s foremost priority. Cyclops delivered Klyntar's pieces to Jean Grey so that she may study them and perhaps glean further details on the prince's possible location and sure enough, Lady Grey confirmed that Klyntar took the prince into the desert and not to some other remote location. Now their second trial is to pinpoint the prince's exact location. King Erik ordered every airship available to scour the desert on the possible whereabouts of Shaw's fortress. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful.

King Erik had to deal with one other situation concerning Prince David. Knowing about his prince father's abduction even without anyone informing him of the matter, the babe wailed for Prince Charles' return, foolishly demanding it from the servants and attacking them psychically to bring his father back. Despite Prince David's telepathic superiority, he is still a child after all. King Erik visited his son and communicating via David's telepathy, the king calmed the child as best as he could, hugging him and reassuring him, albeit two days had already passed since Charles' kidnapping. King Erik had to bring in Jean Grey to help with his son's tantrums. Thereupon, the king consulted with his council on possible rescue plans, but they are unable to come to an agreement over their strategies until Henry McCoy presented himself to court despite his injuries.

Surrounded by his soldiers and strategists, King Erik acknowledged Charles' royal guard when the other approached him. They have assembled in the king's strategy room, with several men sharing their ideas on a rescue mission. Regardless of McCoy's heritage as a Phaser, the king's people afforded him every respect he deserved and they all listened to what he had to say.

"My king, forgive me for intruding in your assemblage, but may I propose a solution?"Henry McCoy murmured in a calm voice.

King Erik gestured for the guard to come closer, exhaling a frustrated breath."Any suggestion to save my husband is welcome, Henry. Please, what do you propose for us to do?"

Henry McCoy bowed his head low."Princess Emma Frost, Queen Raven's princess consort, has a strong mental bond with the prince. She’s also a telepath like Prince Charles. If you desire to locate the prince swiftly, Princess Emma can surely help us. If we could convene with Queen Raven in Shi'ar, perhaps they could assist us in locating Prince Charles,"

King Erik's eyes narrowed at this. Although there has always been a veiled enmity between him and Queen Raven, desperate times call for desperate measures at this point. If Princess Emma could locate his beloved, then if need be, he would grovel and beg upon Queen Raven's feet to do so. One of the king's council, knowing of Queen Raven's rumored duplicity, advised the king against it.

"Your Majesty, you must not go by yourself. Send out a representative instead. You must not compromise your safety."

The king flung a sour glance towards the council man, causing the other to bow his head down quickly, avoiding the king's penetrating stare.

"What of the prince then? Is his safety not of the highest priority? Every day that passes by while we muck about here uselessly exchanging strategies matters not if one course of action could save us from wasting our time! I must present myself at Queen Raven's court. It not only proper decorum to do so, it is our way."

"I beg your forgiveness, my king!"The council man murmured. King Erik gave the man an injured sniff and patted Henry's broad shoulder.

"You shall serve as my go-between for Shi'ar. Perhaps Queen Raven might listen to your reasoning when we arrange for an audience with her. Cyclops, prepare an airship for my use and take two men with us. You shall be my pilot for this trip. Henry, I understand you are injured, but would you and Logan be willing to come with me to visit Shi'ar?"

Henry bowed his head, touching his right chest as a sign of his respect."Yes, your majesty. I want nothing more than to help you save our young prince and Logan shares my sentiment!"

"Good! Let us leave as soon as possible!"

Everyone in the room murmured their assent over the king's decision and King Erik marched off to his bed chambers afterwards, calling forth his wardrobe maidens to prepare his suit of armor and his cape, as if he was going to war. After the maidens had affixed his red armor upon his body and arranged his cape upon his shoulders, the king headed towards his private hangar, where Cyclops had already prepared an airship for their use. It would take several days to journey towards Shi'ar, for the Phaser kingdom resides within the far eastern realms of the planet. The king ordered Cyclops to arrange for the fastest course they could take on their way to Shi'ar and Cyclops obliged the king's request, doing his utmost to navigate the ship towards their destination. Even though Cyclops himself was against the king's decision, he did not question his king out loud, unlike the council man who opposed the plan while they congregated within the strategy room earlier.

King Erik had no time to grieve, but nevertheless, his harrowing grief over his husband's abduction was quite visible upon his countenance; this he could not hide from his own vassals as they made their way towards Shi'ar. His haunted silence evidently made his men uneasy, but he could do nothing about it. Cyclops employed the assistance of his own brother, Havok and he also invited Pietro, both men serving as the king's personal guards for when they made their way into Shi'ar's kingdom. Joining them were Logan and Henry McCoy. Logan's quick-healing ability had already restored his strength, but Henry still had bruises and scratches from his ordeal. Both men will act as their envoys, speaking for the king when they present themselves at Queen Raven's court.

 

Princess Emma sensed the Genoshan airship's presence even before they entered Shi'ar's air space. From the vast balcony of the Darkholme palace, she stared at the blue skies, her eyes narrowing. Queen Raven, standing close by approached her consort, touching her back and looking up towards the direction of her gaze.

"What is it, Emma?"

"It seems King Erik wishes to grace us with a visit,"Emma said quietly. Queen Raven's eyes widened at this.

"Is Charles with him?"

"Strangely enough, no. Although he has his men with him, along with Logan and Henry, I do not sense Charles."

Queen Raven did not know why her heart suddenly began to beat erratically within her chest. Something did not feel right. Why would the king visit Shi'ar himself without Charles? Unless something happened to her brother. Even though Charles had betrayed her, she still loved her brother dearly. For this reason, she stayed her hand against taking her vengeance upon Genosha. She even refused an alliance with Shaw, despite the other claiming that he had the means to bring down the Lehnsherr regime. Of the late, Genosha had redeemed itself after Shaw had laid waste to that kingdom, which assured her of her brother's safety, but now she wasn't too sure. She stayed with Emma within the confines of the balcony until they saw the Genoshan airship streaking through the skies. Queen Raven turned her back on the scene and grimly called out to her consort.

"Come. Let us face them in the throne room,"

Emma nodded imperceptibly and followed the queen. They entered Queen Raven's grand throne room, the walls made up of precious stones that shone like clear, prismatic crystals under the sunlight streaming into the room, throwing a rainbow gleam over anyone standing within. Queen Raven donned nothing but a white silk cloak over her shoulders, proudly showing off her lustrous blue skin, her legs crossed as she sat upon her throne made up entirely of gemstones. Emma was wearing her usual garb of white, her fur-trimmed cloak hanging about her shoulders; scantily clad in a white bodice and high boots. Surrounding the room were Queen Raven's own royal guards, silent and immobile as if they were statues. Moments later, a servant came forth and announced King Erik's arrival, the king requesting for an audience with the Queen and Princess Emma. Curious and at the same time, concerned over what the king has to say to her, she murmured her assent and allowed the king and his companions into her throne room. Immediately, the first to approach her throne were her brother's two royal guards, Logan and Henry McCoy. They bowed low before her, remaining on their knees until the Queen gestured for them to stand. Instead of addressing her brother's guards, she addressed King Erik, her lashes lowered.

"King Erik! What brings you to Shi'ar? Surely you are not here on some whimsical request over gemstones. Perhaps you have heard of your sometime Chancellor visiting me to form an alliance, hmmm? I tell you now, I did not accept his proposal. Shi'ar does not form allegiances on a whim, especially not to a backstabbing superhuman as Shaw."

Queen Raven uttered her words with a trace of irony, meant to insult the king, but she received nothing but silence from King Erik's group. When she lifted her eyes to stare directly at King Erik's face, her expression fell when she saw the haunted look in his gaze.

"Did something happen to Charles?"Queen Raven blurted out, dropping all pretense at loftiness.

"Shaw kidnapped your brother! He tricked Charles into leaving Genosha!"Erik said tightly, getting straight to the point.

Instead of voicing out her own indignation over Shaw's deplorable actions, she turned on the king, her voice harsh and accusatory."Where were you when this happened?"

Of course, the king blamed himself over what happened, but to hear the accusation in the Queen's voice cowed him further. King Erik placed a trembling hand over his eyes, showing Queen Raven how remorseful he felt over allowing such a thing to happen.

"I...I failed to protect my husband and I accept responsibility for my actions, but this is not the moment to lay blame. Your brother needs you!"

Queen Raven scoffed at the king's words. Her bitterness over what happened many years before rising to the surface, overshadowing her concern for the prince.

"Your pitiful affirmation over your inadequacies satisfies me quite, King Erik. So you admit to your inability to protect my brother after all. What must your own people think of you?"

King Erik's face reddened at the Queen Raven's insulting words, his eyes blazing at it. He strove to speak in a patient tone of voice."Again, Queen Raven, this is not the time for petty insults and past differences. I need your help to save your brother. His life is in grave danger!"

Queen Raven shot up from her throne, her face crumpling up in her fury."How dare you trivialize the past, your war mongering brute! Your father killed my father over something so petty and yet you stand before me saying such things! You are a hypocrite!"

The king couldn't stand Queen Raven's stubborn pride any longer and he shot back a response."Your father plotted to assassinate my father! Your father took part in a genocide that killed soldiers and innocent superhumans whose only desire was freedom from the oppression of the humans! Your father sold out our race!"

"You lie!"Queen Raven screamed at the king. She deftly and quickly jumped off from the high steps of her throne and shot towards King Erik, intending to land a blow, but King Erik easily avoided her. King Erik's own men moved to protect their king, despite their small number. Even Logan and Henry dared to defy Queen Raven, joining in on the fray, but Queen Raven's guards pointed their weapons at King Erik's party, forcing them to move back.

"Move away from the Queen!"One of them thundered. King Erik gestured with his head, imploring his men not to retaliate. Reluctantly, Cyclops and Havok put their weapons away, with Henry and Logan doing the same. However, they all stood their ground. Only Pietro remained quiet, observing his father. He wanted to know how King Erik would handle this tense situation. If things got bad, he knew he could save them all by whisking them away into the airship to escape.

Queen Raven sauntered about the black flagstones of her throne room, angrily assessing King Erik. She had always wanted to engage him in combat, reminiscing the time when she had beaten him when they were children. She wanted to put the king in his place once more. King Erik desperately eyed her, watching her every move as she circled him, her motions fluid and animal-like. The king noticed the queen's soldiers herding his men away, as if expecting the queen to make an example of him. In that case, if he had to fight her, he would not hesitate. The hostility between the two kingdoms had never been as palpable as it is in that very moment and he knew that one way or another, he had to do something to make the queen hear him out.

The queen made the first move. Lightning-quick, she shot forward, intending to throw the king off his feet, but it came quite as a shock to her when King Erik avoided her attack, immediately skirting back to avoid her regardless of his cape. Surprisingly, he used his cape to shield his movements from her. She attacked again and again, using every skill she knew in Shi'ar's way of combat, but the king, it seems knew her fighting stance and even landed a blow, pushing her back with one fist. Incredulous over the turn of events, Queen Raven stood up straight, gasping.

"How?"

King Erik gave her a strained smile."Your brother taught me well."

Uttering a shriek of rage, Queen Raven attacked him once more, her blows causing the obsidian flagstones to crack beneath their feet. Such was the strength of her vehement anger. King Erik frantically looked over to Princess Emma as he expertly avoided the Queen's attacks.

"Won't you reason with her? See into my mind and know the truth!"The king cried out to her. Princess Emma watched the fighting keenly, but somehow, something in the king's voice reached out to her. Emma stood up and slowly made her way towards the flagstones. One of the queen's soldiers tried to block her way to prevent her from getting hurt, but she gestured for the other not to touch her, her entire body turning into a solid diamond, the light touching the surface of her skin causing her body to sparkle. She strutted towards the side of the flagstones and using her telepathic powers, she entered King Erik's mind. Straightaway, her thoughts traveled within his memory system and she knew everything about the king instantly. In due time, she found out the truth about King Raphael's murder and knowing this, she instantly communicated this knowledge to her queen. Suddenly, everyone in the room vanished and King Erik realized he is now within Princess Emma's mindscape, made up entirely of white chiseled ice, taking on the semblance of her homeland. Queen Raven was also within that landscape, her expression stunned.

"He speaks the truth, my queen."

Queen Raven still couldn't accept her father's actions and she crumpled to the floor, sobbing."No!"

"I am sorry that you had to find out like this. Charles wanted to see you and tell you himself."King Erik said in a subdued voice, watching as Princess Emma bent over Queen Raven and hugged the other as the queen wept. King Erik regretted that he didn't allow Charles to visit Shi'ar before, owing to his selfish need to keep Charles by his side.

Outside of Emma's mindscape, the guards as well as King Erik's men became confused when the fighting suddenly stopped, with all three of their royalty staring off into space.

Raven just continued to sob into Princess Emma's arms. Emma smoothed down the queen's red hair and then she looked up at King Erik."What can we do to help you, King Erik?"

King Erik exhaled a sigh of relief. All in all, this situation had allowed them to finally come to a truce. King Erik stepped forward carefully.

"Princess Emma, your telepathic bond with Charles might help us locate him. We know Shaw took him into the great desert between Genosha and Imaya, but we cannot get the exact coordinates. If you are willing to travel with us, perhaps you can help us rescue my prince!"

"We shall help you then. My princess and I shall go with you into the desert."Queen Raven suddenly spoke up. Princess Emma helped the queen stand up, both women embracing and then they faced King Erik.

"Allow me to offer up my most trusted men, King Erik. With our combined forces, surely we can subdue Shaw and rescue my brother."Queen Raven offered. King Erik's eyes trembled with feeling and he held out his hand to Queen Raven. Queen Raven smiled despite her tears and held the king's hand in her own. At this instant, the queen's hatred washed away from her as a deeper understanding passed between her and the king; even though their handshake occurred only within Princess Emma's mindscape.

Eventually Emma severed the melding of their minds, returning them into Queen Raven's throne room. Queen Raven purposefully walked over to King Erik and shook his hand, even briefly hugging him and laughing with him. They exchanged knowing smiles while the throng about them stared on, confused by the turn of events.

"What just happened?"Havok questioned his brother, but Cyclops could only respond with a shrug. Pietro somehow had an idea over what had transpired and smiled to himself, admiring how King Erik dealt with the situation. Queen Raven immediately mobilized her own men, arranging for several airships to join King Erik's ship as they made their way towards the great desert to save Prince Charles.

 

Meanwhile, Prince Charles stirred upon the pallet within Shaw's bed chamber. Since his captors could not break his spirit with their hallucinogenic drugs, they resorted to mind control, using Sand worms for this purpose and infecting him with the vile creatures. The worms burrowed into his hand first and he screamed loudly at the pain caused by these creatures as they intruded his flesh. His captors had implanted these worms with their mind control technology, meant to use the collective consciousness of these worms to overpower the prince's thoughts until they wiped his mind clean, making him subservient and vulnerable to Shaw's whims. However, Shaw could not contend with the nasty effects of these creatures upon the prince's body. They burrowed and crawled beneath the prince's skin, leaving brownish, plated growths. The creatures had fully infected the prince's entire right arm already, the network of the infestation spreading upon the prince's neck as well, eventually destroying the prince's handsome features.

Charles sensed something odd in the air, as he stared into nothingness. His blue eyes glowed in the dimness of his prison. He could sense that Banshee and Riptide were still alive. Due to the worms’ infestation, his consciousness traveled deeper, allowing him to foresee the harrowing future that awaited his son, David.

_Like a ghost from the past, his mind traveled through the passing of ages quickly, as if time was but a picture book in his mind's eye, flitting through the pages of a future existence; Night and day passed in a wink of an eye, showing him what he needed to see. A long and bitter war continued to wage on upon their planet, between humans and superhumans alike, ravaging it to the point that it became uninhabitable. Although Shaw failed to usurp full power over the entire planet, his actions had set in motion a chain of events that destroyed the planet's capability to sustain life. By the time this terrible event occurred, both Charles and Erik were long gone, leaving David all alone. It horrified Charles to see his son's withered and old face, haunted and broken as he stood over the ruins of Genosha. David had fought on for his father's cause, but he had grown soul-weary, stripping him of any hope for a better future for their race. Due to the changes that scarred the planet, it had left many incapable of reproducing children and in turn, both races resorted to magic and unnatural means to procreate in order to continue their lineage. However, these actions destroyed the planet further, leaving David with no choice but to destroy the planet altogether. Using what remained of his powers, David sent forth a colonizing ship into space, sending it into another dimension. David's intention was to continue the superhuman bloodline on another planet, with the ship bearing both his parents genome, along with his own. Then, using his fearsome telepathic power, he destroyed their planet, along with himself. The intense flash of light blinded his mind's eye and Charles screamed at it, nearly going insane at what he saw. He could not accept that this was his son's future._

His screams sounded like it came from a beast's throat rather than a human throat. He suddenly opened his eyes and he found himself in Shaw's pallet, sitting on his haunches and baying up at the outcrop of stalactites upon the ceiling of the cave. The future is not set yet. What he had seen might possibly not come about. He then realized he could see in the dark. He blinked repeatedly and brought up his hand, staring at his deformity.

"My skin is not my own."Charles murmured softly and then he touched his chest. He could feel the creatures spawning at an accelerated rate within his flesh. He touched the gold bands at his wrist. He didn't have the strength to break them yet. He realized Shaw had procured these bands from Shi'ar, but these bands were not designed to control the sand worms. He could sense the collective thoughts of these creatures and he realized he could understand them. He caught these sandworms' attention somehow and he spoke to them. He was thankful that Shaw did not come to harass him any longer, his appearance hideous enough to prevent the other from attempting to molest him. It allowed him to converse with the sandworms. Shaw's men kept him locked up, waiting for his mind to decay further with the help of the sandworms because even if his mind deteriorates, Shaw could still use his powers. It was only a matter of time...

 

He shot out of the pallet when he realized that he could sense Erik's presence, as well as Princess Emma's mind. His husband was trying to reach out to him, using Emma as his medium. They've finally come to rescue him! His heart began to beat furiously within his chest in his excitement, causing the worms to become excited as well.

_Charles? I'm here! I've come for you!_

The prince quietly wept as he listened to his husband within his mind, his entire body trembling as he focused on Erik's voice. Never had he felt such relief and joy as this!

"Yes, Erik! I can hear you!"

_I thought I have lost you! Are you well?_

"After a fashion, I suppose."Charles attempted to joke back, but he sensed Erik's rage within his head.

_I'm coming Charles! Wait for me! Shaw will have hell to pay for what he has done to you! Are you restrained?_

"Yes I am, my love. How far do you think could your powers reach? Can you free me from these gold bands they have used to restrain my powers?"

In response, Charles began to feel the bands quivering slightly against his skin. Using his amazing control over metal, Erik undid the catches and locks that held the bands in place until they crumpled up and became warped, falling to the floor in chunks. Charles rubbed at his wrists and grinned to himself. Now it was time to pay Shaw back. Instead of the sandworms causing his mind to decline, he had harnessed the sandworms and used their collective thought processes to increase his telepathic powers. He knocked out every guard and every soldier within the cave fortress unconscious, including Kylntar, however, he did not sense Shaw and his other officials. They were not in the cave for some reason. Erik and his group made short work of Shaw's remaining men outside of the cave's perimeter. Charles smiled to himself as he remotely viewed his family and comrades coming to rescue him. Seeing his sister fighting along with his husband warmed his heart. Erik had somehow found a way to reconcile with Raven. Cyclops destroyed the heavy artillery hidden among the crags by using the laser beams from his eyes. Erik destroyed every metal weapon their enemies possessed and knocked out the approaching soldiers by using their own weapons on them while Raven, Henry and Logan used their combat skills to bring down the rest of Shaw's men. Havok was also there along with Pietro, Azazel and his sister's other soldiers. Charles unlocked his own prison and made his way towards the outer gate of the cave. He felt slightly conscious of his appearance, but none of that matters now. His Erik had come for him. Bare-chested and wearing only his brown trousers, Charles waited for Erik to see him.

Of course, Erik was the first to arrive at the entryway of the cave and seeing Charles nearly made the king weep with joy. King Erik took off his helmet, letting it fall to the sand as he slowly walked over to Charles. He didn't even care about the odd growths upon Charles' skin. All that mattered to him was that Charles was alive and well and that he could finally embrace his prince and take him back to Genosha. They stood there for a while longer, staring at each other, a lengthy silence coming between them and then King Erik stepped forward, grabbing the back of the prince's neck and embracing him tightly.

"Charles,"Erik sobbed against his head, nuzzling his face into Charles' hair and then Charles slowly lifted his arms to return Erik's embrace. Keeping their distance, Queen Raven and the rest of their group allowed the king and the prince their moment of reunion.

Erik pulled back, tears streaming down his cheeks as he touched Charles' cheeks and his neck.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, my love! That I allowed such a thing to happen to you,"

Charles wept along with him, wiping at Erik's face and touching his husband's chest affectionately."What are you sorry for? It was out of your hands. It was no one's fault but my own, for allowing Shaw to trick me."

"Hush now!"The king whispered fiercely and then he drew the prince forward to kiss him with all his passion.

 

 

 


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because my notes were too long, I've added them into the actual fic, sorry about that. I think I just need to say my piece after being gone for some time now. I just need to get some things off my chest.

 NOTES:

  
_Hello everyone! Yes, I'm back, doing what I like and writing for you once more. I know I've been gone for so long and for that, I apologize. I've been ill and I've wanted to keep my personal matters out of AO3 as much as I can. However, it is unfair of me to keep my silence, especially to my devoted readers. I didn't want you to pity me or worry for me. Still, I want to set the record straight. As some of you may know, I'm battling with cancer. I've been constantly on meds and it has affected my writing detrimentally (Of course, it was already bad writing to begin with, but I suppose I'm that kind of writer whose writing is so bad that it's so good at being bad, they should probably have a specific genre for it, but I digress)._

_It was a struggle to go in and out of hospitals, doing endless tests and taking various medications to help with the tumors, but I'm still not done. There's more of this torment to come and my big time operation (I don't even know if it will be a success or not). My body may be broken, but my spirit is not. That's why...I'm still here. I may be hated or ridiculed because of how I chose to write, but I'm not done. I'll keep writing, because I love it so much. It has made me so happy and made other people happy, despite so many of my failures, despite those who strive to bring me down and make me feel small, because these type of people are cowards. They hide behind their anonymity and their arrogant idea that since it is the internet, they have a right to be mean, cloaking it with the flimsy excuse of the 'free speech' bullshit. To my detractors, you don't know shit about me. You can talk trash, but that's all you have, trash. Your words mean nothing. In fact, I find it laughable because despite how much you revile my work, you've read it. What does THAT make you? My stalker? My personal critic? You must be seething on the inside that I even had the gall to write. I pity you for that. You find fulfillment in doing what you do to me. Now, that's pathetic. Just to spite you, I'm going to keep writing and you can comment and write shit about me forever, but you CAN'T EVER MAKE ME STOP._

_For my new readers, I'm sorry you had to read this, but it just had to be said. Allow me to explain my brand of writing. My works are solely centered on Smut and disturbing content. In addition to that, my stories are ridiculous and created for the purpose of convenience. I don't wallow in politics or current affairs, nor do I focus on witty dialogue or sarcastic banter between my characters. I don't write about realistic relationships because let's be honest, what's the fun in that? Real life stuff can be quite mundane. My writing is simply this: Unrealistic, ridiculous to the core and smut ridden with the characters constantly sex-starved for each other. Real life sex isn't like this. Real life sex comes with so many trappings and awkward bits that I can't even describe in detail._

_Let's just be clear, for those who ignore tags and warnings. My fanfic content isn't real. DON'T TAKE IT LITERALLY. Just to drive my point even further, my influences are Yaoi (If you really want insanely ridiculous plots, now there's your ticket. I've watched and read a lot of Yaoi and they are seriously, SERIOUSLY more disturbing than my work), Gay porn for the acrobatic and nearly impossible feats in sex that my characters do and I read cheesy dime-store romance books. I totally love reading books like these, I kid you not. I can't resist plots about blackmail turned to love or those about cowboys and kingdoms and time travel with some swashbuckling fun involved in them, with the leads eventually falling in love, written by anonymous writers lucky enough to get their work published. These are my influences. One more thing: Please...please and for the love of all that is good in this world, don't ever think for one minute that I condone rape or promote disturbing behavior. I don't. This is all pure fanfiction. If you really don't like it, don't read it because my work is written for those who enjoy it for the ride._

_Aside from this, I have my writing quirks. I put dashes instead of periods, because growing up, that's how I've been writing and my teachers never corrected me and I ended up getting used to writing like this. I don't know, they must have thought the dash was a period due to my handwriting. Also, the books I read ended with dashes and they kind of influenced me somehow. I'm slowly trying to correct this quirk, but I don't think it will ever go away from my writing. So to those who are so persnickety about punctuation, I know how my writing looks. You can bookmark or comment about my previous works that have this quirk, but it will stay there and I won't correct it for you, so go ahead and criticize it. I will leave it there just to annoy you. I am through being tolerant of people who don't deserve my time, because clearly, you aren't commenting to help me improve, you just want to say something snide because it makes you feel smug about how much of a better writer you are and how much of a classy literary critic you are ( I mean that with whole-hearted sarcasm), but the truth of it is, you are just an online asshole._

_I always go by the adage my grandmother taught me: If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it and I still try to live by her words. Because I don't want to spread negativity and hostility. Nevertheless, I don't feel the same anymore for the haters who keep hating on me. I'm just trying to be a decent person all these years that you have put me down, but I'm no saint. You won't see me bookmarking or commenting with asinine remarks over someone's fanfic because that's not me. That's not how I've been brought up. I don't know what brought up some of the assholes here in AO3, but don't be a prick just because you think it makes you edgy or make you feel cool about yourself, it doesn't. It makes you into a pathetic waste of humanity, because you can't do anything that makes a positive impact. You don't make people happy. You are just crude and mean. Period._

_My work is just for entertainment. Plain and simple. Isn't that what fanfiction is for? For the fans, for those who fantasize of worlds that transport them somewhere else, even though it could be a little dark and disturbing and scary at times. I'm sure you've watched movies with similar twists and you fantasize about those situations. You fantasize your favorite character or yourself in these situations, but you don't dwell on them because you know they are just dreams; castles in the clouds (regardless if it was a horror castle or whatever, your imagination is limitless), but you are still rooted in the realm of the real. If you're a normal person, you would know the DIFFERENCE. For those who genuinely loved my work because they see it clearly for what it is, you have my everlasting love and respect. Again, I'd like to apologize for my absence. I do think of all of you who care about me and I miss you dearly. I just wish there wasn't any awfulness in this world, but there will always be sickness and pain and meanness in this world. There will be people who will bring us down, but if we don't stand for ourselves, if we let these things break our spirits, then there's nothing worth fighting for. So here I am, I'm fighting and I'm standing up for myself, by writing on._

 

* * *

 

 

Although Charles was now restored to him, the prince's current condition worried the king greatly that he had advised everyone present during Charles' liberation to keep silent over the matter. Genosha's integrity as a kingdom depended on it. Even King Erik's most trusted vassals understood the importance of showing their strength and stability to all the other kingdoms and kept their vow of silence. For this reason, Queen Raven and her people also swore to keep their secret. After the prince's return to Genosha, King Erik's Royal guards came forth to investigate Shaw's hideout, to gather any information that might aid them in defeating the deposed Chancellor while the King's soldiers cleared Shaw's caves of its cache of weapons. Furthermore, they confiscated Shaw's aerial vessels meant to attack the Genoshan kingdom. Cyclops and his men remained to peruse the paper trail Shaw unwittingly left due to the unanticipated rescue of the prince. Somehow forewarned of King Erik's party raiding his secret hideout, Shaw evaded the Genoshan's apprehension, but it was to his utter frustration that his plans were once again foiled. The loss of the Prince and the king's seizure of his cave den sent him into a rage, causing him to massacre a Nomad tribe aiding him in his cause. It would take him several days to recover from this defeat.

Meanwhile, King Erik consulted upon the only person he knew who could cure his husband. However, Elixir dashed his hopes when the other informed him of the prince's true state.

"My king, if only I could do something to take on the Prince's burden, I would gladly do so, but I would rather tell you the truth, cruel as it may be. The sandworms have melded with the prince's psyche and it is a tie I cannot sever."

The king trembled visibly upon hearing this news, his eyes growing moist. Seeing the king like this broke Elixir's heart, leaving him feeling impotent.

"What are you saying?"The king asked in disbelief, refusing to comprehend what he had heard.

"Your majesty, the prince's mind and the sandworms' collective minds have somehow fused together. If we part them, the prince will die."

"No! There must be a way to free my prince!"

"Perhaps if we consult with some Mystics, they might give us a means to heal the prince's affliction,"

The only person that came to the king's mind was Lilandra. If there's one such individual capable of saving Charles it would be that witch, although of course, it would come at a hefty price. Despite this, the king did not hesitate in his decision to locate Lilandra once more. He would trade his kingdom for Charles' life if need be. He dismissed Elixir afterwards and went to his kingdom's private infirmary to inquire on Riptide and Banshee's condition. Riptide was still in a critical state and had remained unconscious. However, Banshee was lucid enough to answer his king's query on the status of their quest.

"Riptide and I intended to cross the desert, my king, for we've gathered some information on Lilandra's last location. This was before Shaw's men ambushed us. I had thought you would ask this of me and so I took the liberty of notating the coordinates upon a map,"Banshee said feebly.

He then handed the king a scroll he had close by his bedside. The king patted Banshee's shoulder as the other remained upon his pallet, weakened by his ordeal.

"My king, this would not have happened if I-"

King Erik grasped his shoulder reassuringly."No. You are not to blame. I should have been more vigilant. I am to blame for this."

Banshee averted his eyes, his face crumpled up with his feelings, touched by the king's benevolence. The king reassured him further and then he left to face Charles. It took him several hours before he could return to the prince due to tying up any loose ends during the inquiry on Charles' abduction and acquiring all the reports pertaining to Shaw. Charles slept in their bedchamber, attended upon by private chambermaids sworn to secrecy over the princes' condition. The king waved away at the maids, indicating that he wanted some privacy with his prince. The maids hurriedly obliged. King Erik stood close by the bed, quietly watching his husband sleep. Charles immediately sensed his presence and quickly opened his eyes. Disconcertingly so, Charles' eyes seemed to glow in the dimness of the room, the blue luminescence somehow unnatural and likewise, his irises had turned into thin, reptilian slits. It should have unnerved the king, but it was still Charles' tender gaze that regarded him, despite the monstrous changes upon Charles' appearance.

"Erik."Charles said softly. He remained lying upon the bed, hiding the deformity of his arm and his neck with a blanket. Even though Erik hugged him and kissed him earlier, his hideous appearance shamed him so. Erik sat upon the edge of the bed, gently caressing his shoulder.

"How are you feeling now, my prince?"

Charles would not meet his king's stare directly and kept his gaze averted."Forgive me, my love. I do not know how to answer your query. Although I am happy, now that I am restored to you, my hideousness has become my torment. I've become a monster!"

"Why do you say such things, Charles? You are no monster!"

Charles' face crumpled up. He sat up and the sheet fell, revealing the swirling growths and plated indentations upon his skin. The sandworm infestation had spread to his neck and the side of his face. To Erik's horror, a short fang exposed itself from between Charles' generous red lips. However, the king did not let on that he saw something untoward about the prince. He maintained a calm demeanor.

"Look at me! How can you not say I'm a monster? I cannot even see my son because of my condition!"Charles shouted out brokenly and then he began to cry, hiding his face with his palms. King Erik could only watch him as he cried, struggling within himself and wanting comfort him. Prince Charles had to block his son's attempts at a telepathic communication, for fear that David might find the sandworms overwhelming or even frightening. Finally, the king took the prince in his arms, hugging him fiercely. Charles struggled from his grip, filled with such shame and revulsion over his state. Despite Charles' struggles, Erik held on, pressing his face to Charles' hair.

"Charles, please. Listen to me! My feelings for you will not change just because of your outward appearance. Beneath your exterior, you are still the same man I have loved; beneath this affliction, you are the same loving and gentle being who has captivated me, body and soul. I love you! Please heed me! I love you!"

The prince continued to resist, but eventually, his struggles ceased as the king drew close, kissing him passionately upon the lips. They kissed for some time and then the king pulled back, gazing intently at the prince, as the other blushed and gasped lightly. King Erik knew of no other way to give his prince solace except for this. He gently reached for the prince's hands guiding the other to touch his chest. It startled Charles to feel Erik's heart beating quickly within his chest, causing the prince to look up at Erik in wonder.

"Don't you know, Charles? Every time we kiss and touch, it takes me back to that time, when we were alone in our wedding chamber, when everything was exciting and new and beautiful and it shall never change for me, no matter what. Please, don't be afraid to love me because I will never stop loving you."

Charles began to weep afresh, pressing his face to Erik's neck, overwhelmed that he had such love. Looking up into Erik's eyes, he could see that Erik told him nothing but the truth. Erik did not care for his deformity. He reached out and hugged his king tightly, kissing him with such a fierce passion that it surprised the king. They rolled upon the bed restlessly, kissing and touching and then Erik reached for his pants, intending to take them off him.

"Erik, I'm not-"Charles began, but Erik reached for his cheek and caressed him, regardless of the strangeness of Charles' skin beneath his palm. Erik's hands slowly trailed down until his fingers reached for the clasps of Charles' pants once more, finally undressing him. He stroked Charles' backside, hands circling possessively and then he parted Charles' thighs. Charles could only tremble and gasp in anticipation, licking his lips slowly as he watched his king. Erik kissed his neck and his arm, despite the worms moving beneath Charles' flesh. They have grown agitated with this odd sensation building within Charles. Erik actually chuckled as he licked and kissed Charles' fingers. He didn't mind the restlessness of the worms. Charles sent out a mental reprimand for the worms to calm themselves, asking them to give him some privacy and they actually did. Charles finally succumbed to his lust and desperately reached for Erik so that he could kiss him again. Erik's tongue slipped into his mouth, flicking about indecently.

Charles moaned into the kisses, reaching for Erik's cheeks, holding him close. Erik then reached for Charles' cock, stroking the underside softly.

"Uhhhh!"Charles gasped out, breaking the kiss. He immediately grew erect, just with Erik touching him down there. Charles reached out to undo Erik's hand, fearful that he would lose it before they could consummate their desire for each other. He had not bedded with Erik for some time now and every cell of his body ached for his king. Erik nuzzled his cheek, rubbing his nose into Charles' skin, savoring his scent. Erik tightened his grip on Charles' cock and Charles shuddered at it, legs kicking out upon the mattress restlessly, toes curling in pleasure. Erik always knew how to please him and Erik also knew what would drive him mad with desperate lust.

Seeing that Charles was ready for him, Erik used their special oil to lubricate Charles' backside, using his fingers and then he positioned his cock to home and slid slowly into Charles, bracing Charles' legs upon his arms as Charles' back arched up wantonly. Charles kept his eyes shut tight, throwing his head back along with his arms, letting Erik slip into his tight and wet hole.

King Erik couldn't get enough of that look of lust upon Charles' face. Charles' expression alone made him want to come. Eyes heavy-lidded and full of desire, Charles rhythmically arched upward to meet his quickening strokes. Erik had to close his own eyes to keep himself from coming. Charles' folded legs tightened against Erik's arms, toes curling again as he savored the delicious jabs at his prostate. Charles uttered a trembling moan when the king reached for his cock, fondling it while simultaneously thrusting his hips forward to pleasure Charles. He could see that Charles was near the brink. He slowed down his pace, deepening his thrusts instead. The change of tempo allowed Charles to come down from that state of climax. He grabbed at Erik's cheeks, kissing him softly and with passion. He understood that Erik wanted this moment to last longer between them.

Because of Erik's undying love and devotion, Charles managed to forget his fears and his concern over his deformity. Any other human under those circumstances would have lost all hope and surrendered to dark thoughts, but they are not human. Therefore, they are not susceptible to that mortal weakness. Above all, Charles strongly believed that their love for each other will see them through this trial. Charles embraced Erik tightly, his head helplessly rolling about as he endured this undeniable pleasure that only Erik could give him. Erik's hips began to quicken again as he delved for it. He felt Charles reaching for the back of his head, restlessly running his fingers through his king's hair, head thrown back as he eventually surrendered to the ecstasy of his impending orgasm. The bed juddered along with their rhythmic bucking, such was the intensity of their lovemaking that it almost seemed cataclysmic. Charles began to grip at the bed sheets, clinging on for dear life, senseless cries escaping his lips as Erik pummeled into him faster and harder until that pure and blinding climax engulfed them both.

Erik stiffened against Charles for a moment, his face contorted as the throes of his orgasm overwhelmed him. It was the same for Charles. That satisfying rush of blood through their veins, of hearts hammering against each other slowly becoming still, along with the cooling sweat upon their burning skin. All leading up to that calm after the storm, sated and languorous after they had finished with their intense lovemaking. Erik slowly unglued himself from Charles and he proceeded to lie on his side. He drew Charles close to himself and embraced him, running his fingers through Charles hair and his brow.

Charles exhaled a contented sigh and ran his palm over Erik's chest.

"Thank you, Erik. I needed that."

Erik chuckled at that and kissed Charles' forehead."Nothing you do will keep me away from you. You should know that by now!"

Charles giggled in response, pressing face to Erik chest, giving the other a beatific smile.

Erik didn't want to ruin that moment between them by mentioning anything about Charles' condition or any of their problems. However, he quietly swore to himself that he would find a way to heal Charles. His plan was to look for Lilandra and bring forth the maladies of his son and his husband to her attention. He knew that her price would be secrets; she subsisted on them, but he didn't have anymore secrets to keep. He thought perhaps he could bargain with her using another method. He will inform Charles of his plans later, when he leaves for the desert. For now, he wanted nothing more than to have this blissful moment with Charles. Surely, Charles would understand him. He gently touched Charles' cheek, smiling down at him affectionately.

"Would you like to see David?"

Charles' soft smile faltered and he looked away."As we speak, I am blocking him from my mind. Although I've allowed him to sense my presence, I fear that the worms would frighten him if his mind touches their collective minds. David understands why."

"Does it...does it hurt, Charles? With their minds connected to yours like this?"

The prince became touched by Erik's concern. He smiled again and touched Erik's face, murmuring his response gently."No, love. It does not, but I have struggled so, fighting their voices within me. These sandworms are not what you think them to be. They have thoughts and opinions of their own; they're quite intelligent in fact for such little creatures. Their larger kin circle beneath the floor of the desert, telepathically communicating with them. These sandworms can grow as vast as the low hills of our kingdom and the sandworms call them the ancient ones. They have lived long before humans and superhumans flourished over this planet."

"How do you know these things?"

"They told me."

"Are they benevolent?"

"Indeed they are, my king. They have no qualms with you. Their only wish is to reunite with each other."

"As long as you are not hurting Charles, I suppose I could tolerate their presence, but I cannot let this continue any further. This change they've wrought upon your body, it worries me because...because they're turning you into one of their own! It seems as if they are taking you from me!"

Charles sat up straight."No! Please don't think that! My mind is still my own, even though they've left their mark upon my body. Initially, Shaw's purpose was to infect me with the worms to control my mind and use me against you, but the worms have changed their allegiance and offered their telepathic powers unto me. I feel stronger because of it."

Erik still appeared troubled and so Charles held Erik's cheeks in his hands, making it so that his king would look him in the eyes."Do not be afraid. Everything that's happening right now has its purpose. The fates will eventually favor us. I can feel it."

Erik reached up and grasped Charles' wrists, affectionately smiling at him."Then I shall trust in your words."

 

They exchanged soft kisses until they fell asleep in each other's arms.  After several hours, the king woke up first, because he needed to attend to the matters of the kingdom as always. He drew the covers up over Charles' body, planting a kiss upon his prince's forehead and then he left. The moment he did so, Charles' eyes immediately opened and he got up from their bed, donning his robes quickly. He knew what Erik was up to. Erik would discuss the fortification of the kingdom while he would take leave of Genosha with several men to look for Lilandra, in the hope that she would cure Charles and David. However, Charles knew that Lilandra didn't have the power to heal him. It gave him such grief that he had to lie to his husband. The sandworms indeed, were assimilating him, that was the price he had to pay to gain the power to fight in Erik's cause, but he couldn't bear hurting Erik with the truth. Charles had known all along that Erik's quest would end in failure and he sensed something else quite troubling. He could sense Shaw's army coming for Genosha. He wanted to warn Erik, but he had come to a decision of his own. He would use the sandworms to fight Shaw's army, should their murderous force arrive while Erik left for the desert. He had grown resigned to his fate and he had decided to sacrifice his life for their kingdom, without the sandworms knowing his true intent. Since he cannot free himself from the worms any longer, and he did not wish to burden Erik and his son with what he would soon become, he opted for death. That moment between him and Erik in their bedroom would be his last. Now, he must say his farewells to his son and all those he cared about. He knew that even if he died, Erik's love will carry him through the afterlife. Erik will survive his loss.

These thoughts ran through his mind as Erik slept beside him earlier. He only feigned sleep, just so he could hold his king one last time. Their love will endure and pass through this crucible, he knew this to be the truth, but David's future was far too important. What he saw in David's future must not become a reality. His thoughts returned to that horrible revelation when he was having his visions in Shaw's cave. The future is not set. He could still influence it. By sending Erik off and weakening Shaw's forces, Shaw's defeat will be certain. However, he must make his plans. Although he worried that David would force a mental link between them, he entered his son's bedchamber. David cooed delightedly, holding his hands out to his father while Ororo held David in her arms. Charles hid his deformities with his clothing, however, he cannot hide the disfigurement of his face. Despite this, Charles smiled at them warmly.

"My prince! Oh, thank goodness you are well!"Ororo cried out. She struggled to remain dignified, but her voice shook slightly. She also did not care for Charles' deformity in the least.

Charles reached out to clasp Ororo's hand and then he took his son in his arms and hugged him, kissing him softly about the face. Charles stifled the tears that threatened to pour from him as he gently cradled his son.

"There now, I'm here. I love you, David."Charles whispered gently into his son's ear.

David grew still and stared at his father solemnly, as if he knew what Charles was about to do. Charles still blocked any telepathic melding between them so that David couldn't object, but David seemed to know his thoughts anyway. Charles attempted to distract his son by showering him with affection and showing him that red flute, given to him as a wedding gift by Ororo's grandfather. He played the flute for David, entrancing the boy with the soft, melodic tones of the instrument. Even though David is a gifted boy, he is still a boy after all. David tried to play the flute and Charles laughed at his antics. He distracted the boy further with games and reading books to him, all the while talking to Ororo and asking after her family and the state of the kingdom.

"All is well here within the castle, my lord, but I have this strange feeling coming over me. I am not blind to the restlessness of the kingdom. The king's army have rallied about, frequently training upon the grounds and the gates closely guarded, night and day. I've seen armaments rolled out as if any second now, an attacker will come forth and rain chaos upon us."

The kingdom's tension was not lost to Charles. It doesn't even take telepathy to sense Shaw's forces coming for them. The people are afraid, but despite their fears, they remain resolute due to their belief that King Erik will deliver them through this strife. Charles hoped to keep it that way. Charles stayed on for a while longer to spend time with his son, but eventually he left them to go to his vassals next. He visited with Henry McCoy and Logan and he spoke to them secretly about his plans. Concerned for their liege, They advised him against taking on Shaw's army.

"Your highness, I think it best to let the king know that you sense Shaw's army. Surely, he can rally the city's defense if he knew-"Henry McCoy began, but Charles cut him off.

"Of course we will let Erik know, but only once we are in the thick of battle! Don't you see the purpose of my plans? If I help weaken Shaw's army, then my husband can easily defeat Shaw. I've seen the path ahead, Henry. I have seen the future. If Shaw survives this battle, then there will be more bloodshed to come and it will lead to the ruin of our children's future. Do you want that to happen?"

A cold dread settled upon Henry and Logan as they regarded each other. Logan was actually itching to go into battle with Shaw's soldiers, but he didn't want any harm to come to Prince Charles.

"Can we not convince you, my prince? Do you not value your life as we value yours?"Logan said softly in a strange show of affection towards Prince Charles. It touched Charles somehow, but it did not shake his conviction.

"I do value my life, Logan, but I am a prince and I am meant for much more than stately appearances and royal decorum. I am a son of Shi'ar and I am a monolith of telepathic power. I am much more than what you think of me. Allow me to be of service to Genosha. Let me show them my power!"

Logan sighed inwardly. There was no stopping the prince. Indeed, it was a match made in heaven between King Erik and Prince Charles. Both were too stubborn for their own good. He reached out to clutch the prince's shoulder.

"Then we shall stand with you and fight. For Shi'ar and for you, I shall take arms and fight Genosha's enemies!"

Charles nodded towards him, lips settling in a tight smile. Henry wanted to object further, but since Logan had offered to aid his prince, he couldn't very well turn his back on them. Besides, what better way to die than to die fighting?

After Charles left them with his instructions, he went next to his sister and her princess consort. Both had remained along with their vassals so that Queen Raven could speak to Charles. They resided in Genosha's summer palace, awaiting to know the state of Charles' condition and it appalled them to see Charles' state. Raven reached out to touch Charles' riddled cheek.

"Oh that monster Shaw! Look what he has done to you!"Raven said in a quaking voice. Her expression was positively murderous. Charles gently reached up to hold her hand in his. Using every ounce of telepathic power he had, he prevented the worms from gleaning any knowledge of what he was about to disclose to Queen Raven and Princess Emma. Even though they are powerful beings, they didn't have his abilities.

"Sister, do not concern yourself over this. I've come to you to ask for your help. Erik does not know that Shaw's army will be arriving in three days time. You must help me fight Shaw."

"What?"Raven cried out, horrified."The king must know of this! He must prepare for war!"

"No, he will leave to find a cure for my ailment. My men will inform him, but only once we've clashed with Shaw. My intention is to weaken Shaw's forces enough for Erik to bring them down."

Raven shook her head in refusal."This is madness, brother! You are a prince consort! You haven't even been to battle before!"

Charles smiled at her insolently, like how king Erik would have done it. Such was the king's influence on her sweet prince brother."Oh, but you have been to battle many times before. You will help me rouse my King's army to take arms and fight even in his absence. From there, I shall take Erik's place and lead his men into battle."

"Charles, I cannot do this. I've put you in harm's way already to further my own selfish cause because I knew so little of what father was really like and now you induce me to help you die? My heart cannot take it anymore!"Raven began to cry out tearfully. Charles hugged her and kissed her cheek softly.

"Please, Raven. Do this for me."

Queen Raven turned her head away, adamantly refusing and then Charles touched her temple with the fingers of his left hand, allowing her to see the horrors of the future that Shaw would bring about if they continue to let him live. That, and his future self as an enormous sandworm, lying dead in the desert after years of warring with Shaw, long after Erik had passed their world. He showed her David's bleak future and the destruction of the planet. He also shared his thought processes to Princess Emma by linking minds with her telepathically. Queen Raven uttered a short cry of terror, her eyes widening at the sight before her and so did Princess Emma.

"I have seen the future and now that you have seen it too, you know why I have to do this."

Queen Raven flung herself into Charles' arms, weeping openly."No! Not this. You don't deserve this!"

Charles hugged her back, stoically keeping his dignity by not breaking down before them."Will you help me, then?"

"How? How can I help my own brother die like this?"Raven cried out in a broken voice while Emma cried silent bitter tears beside her.

"It is a sacrifice, yes, but it is also my privilege. Let me die with the dignity I deserve, fighting with my last breath so that I may be useful to my king."Charles said quietly.

Raven lifted her tear-streaked faced to regard her brother. He has changed so much. She had never seen him act with such stateliness and grace as this, behaving as a true nobleman would. She was awestruck by it. Everyone had always assumed that Charles was the weak one, but if her people could only see their prince now, their hearts would have swelled with pride.

"I don't want to lose you, Charles!"Raven whispered against his cheek when she hugged him tightly again.

"You won't lose me. I'll always be in your thoughts, won't I?"Charles said kindly and in response, Raven nodded.

Charles turned to face Princess Emma." I need your help, Princess Emma. Help me build a machine that will amplify my telepathic powers. I will need your powers for this."

Emma's usually pale skin had grown paler. She was unable to accept Charles' fate, but she found herself nodding solemnly. For once, she couldn't articulate with her dry wit or even say comforting words. Even though she had lived all her life in the icy hills of her frost kingdom, it felt as if cold fingers had crept up her spine and sent a true chill throughout her body, one she had never felt before.

 


	17. Chapter 17

It wrenched at King Erik's heart to leave Charles like this, but he realized that Lilandra wouldn't have shown herself to his men in the first place, because they weren't the ones in need of her power. She dealt only in secrets and she wouldn't have deemed his men worthy. Even though he didn't have anything he could bargain with, surely there would be other ways he could gain Lilandra's thaumaturgical skills, even if it meant giving her his very soul as payment. He had no other choice. He had to leave before it was too late to save his prince. He embraced Charles lovingly as the other caressed his face, interspersing it with soft kisses and words of affection as they stood in the grand hall of the castle leading on to the King's private hangar.

"Please my love, come back to me soon."Charles murmured against his cheek, lashes lowered over his glimmering blue eyes. Charles gently ran his fingers over Erik's chest, pressing himself closely against his king just so he could feel his warmth and nearness one more time before Erik left. The king loved this about him; this solemn, yet affectionate inclination that he hadn't seen in anyone else. There's more than one reason for his hesitation. He wasn't blind to the tension within his kingdom and he has this impending sense that Shaw had something sinister planned. Nevertheless, he had afforded every precaution necessary to prepare against Shaw. He has scouts roaming the entire perimeter beyond his kingdom. Day and night, he had aerial troops surveying overhead for any untoward movement, for these were indeed dark times. He had heard news of Shaw's army pillaging and ransacking the far countryside, killing and raping their own kind. At the onset, he had offered to shelter these superhumans within Genosha's walls, but they refused to move from their homes. Now it was too late. At the moment, his primary concern lies with his own kingdom. He found comfort that Charles' queen sister remained and that her Phaser army had joined forces with his own. With their combined unit, he felt a slight assurance that his family and his people were going to be safe. He kissed Charles' forehead and smiled sadly down at the other.

"I'll do my best, Charles."

Close by, Ororo held David in her arms and Erik now turned his attention towards them. He took the boy from his nursemaid and kissed his equally solemn son's cheek.

"Watch over your prince father for me, David. We don't want him wandering about again."Erik joked half-heartedly, to which David responded with silence and wide eyes. Charles laughed weakly at their side, doing his best to hide his immense sadness. Erik handed the babe back to his nursemaid, touched Charles' cheek affectionately once more and then he rushed off before his will weakened. He didn't see Charles' face crumpling up, tears coursing down his face, looking after King Erik sorrowfully as he walked briskly away. Ororo quietly handed David towards the prince, in the hope that it would somewhat comfort the prince and Charles hugged his son as they watched Erik leave in one of the airships within the hangar. He kept watching the airship until it disappeared from his sight. When Erik was finally gone, Charles listlessly walked back towards the castle, holding David in his arms while Ororo trailed after him. He couldn't seem to stop crying.

"Your highness, I'm sure King Erik will return to us soon. He has left you before, has he not?"Ororo said, attempting to console him.

Charles wiped at his eyes. Of course, Ororo didn't know what Charles was truly crying about. He didn't tell her about Shaw's coming and what he intended to do to defeat Shaw. Once he used up his telepathic powers, he would die. Charles kept silent as he walked back towards his bedchambers with David. He quietly asked for Ororo to remain outside so that hew could spend an entire day alone with his son. David knew his father was hiding his thoughts from him and no matter how hard David tried to pry into his father's mind, he couldn't break through the veil. He knew his father had grown stronger due to the sandworms.

 _Why do you hide your thoughts from me, father?_ David finally queried, using his telepathy.

Charles sighed tiredly. He shook his head in a slow and sad manner."David, you should not meddle in affairs that do not concern you."

_Father, we both know that it does concern me._

"Oh, my poor, sweet child! You are too young for such adult thoughts! The reason I keep my thoughts from you is so that I can protect you."Charles voiced out, hoping that his words would convince his son if he spoke them out loud.

_King Father said I must watch over you and I shall keep my promise, even if it means knowing your innermost thoughts. I know you're planning something terrible.  
_

"David, your father only said that in jest. He didn't mean it! How can you think of such things about me?"

David was sitting upright upon the bed, looking up at his prince father. With his chubby, childish fingers, he reached out to touch Charles' deformed hand. The worms seem to shrink away from his touch. Somehow, the worms didn't like something about David. They sensed something ominous and evil about the child. Charles' eyes widened as he looked at his son's hand, touching his own. He could feel the sandworms recoiling beneath his skin.

_I know I am just a child and that I should not know the things that I know, but you've made me the way I am, father. You and king father. I cannot change these things. You think I am cursed and that you must do something to save me, but I do not wish for it. I have accepted my fate._

Charles could not hide the shock upon his expression, his eyes trembling in their sockets. How could David have known of his horrific future? He had carefully hidden this knowledge from his babe. Unless of course, David used his own powers to see into the future. He wouldn't put it past David. He had always tried to shield David from these terrible things, but it was no use. He could not save David from himself.

"David, no!"

David looked up at him with haunted eyes. He kept holding his father's hand in his own and they spoke further within the telepathic landscape of their minds. Charles suddenly scooped David up and hugged him fiercely.

"You cannot stop me, David. I must see to this if only to find a way to save you and change your fate!"

David tried to reason with him, crying out with his childish gibberish, but before he could begin to form the words, Charles called for Ororo to take David away. David wailed loudly as Ororo carried him off and Charles silently wiped at his tears, waiting until he could no longer hear David's sorrowful cries. He sat upon his bed for a long while. He reached for Erik's pillow; this was the pillow he had kept from their wedding day. He hugged it to himself and tried his best to remember all the good things that happened to him, especially that moment when he and Erik saw each other for the first time. He will never forget that look upon Erik's face. When he found the courage from within, Charles stood up and walked down the long, well-lit halls and it was as if he was seeing it for the first time. The halls shone with an Ochre color that even the high, carved ceilings appeared perfect beyond words. It was once damaged by Shaw's failed attempt to usurp the throne, but Erik had his builders remake the entire foundation, brick by brick so that it would retain King Jakob's former design. Erik has such pride over what his father had built because he loved his father dearly and Erik had always told him so. The guards gave him a slight nod of respectful acknowledgement as well as the servants and ladies of the court while he walked the length of the golden brown flooring, covered in that deep, rich brown carpet. He made his way towards Raven's quarters, where Henry McCoy, Logan and Emma waited for him.

"Is it time?"Raven asked and she could not hide the trembling in her voice.

Charles nodded gravely and gestured for Henry. Henry went towards Emma Frost, bending at the knee before her.

"My Lady."

 Emma nodded and then she reached out and touched Henry's head, holding out her other hand to the side.

"Let us begin, then."Emma said softly and then she delved into Henry McCoy's mind. Emma immediately found the mental blueprint of Henry McCoy's machine, the one Charles and Henry had discussed earlier. Emma used the blueprint to physically build Charles' machine, using her other power: forming crystals out of thin air and making whatever item she chooses to make with them. She had used these crystals before to make weapons. She was the one who actually designed Queen Raven's throne room and now, she was making Charles' machine. Henry McCoy's design was quite extraordinary. She would not have been able to make each detail with such precision if not for his blueprint. Prince Charles and the rest marveled at her skill as she summoned the elements, forming objects out of nothing. She assembled the pieces telekinetically, large and small, down to every prismatic atom and put them together with painstaking care. It took nearly seven hours to build it, but eventually she finished it for them. She almost collapsed afterwards if not for Raven reaching out to steady her. She pressed up against Raven, exhausted.

"Awful as it is, I've finished Charles' machine, Raven."

Raven wiped at her brow and smiled at her serenely."You've done well, my love."

They all gazed at Princess Emma's handiwork. The machine gleamed like a diamond, throwing off flashes of color wherever the light touched it. It was similar to Queen Raven's throne, but it has a console and a strange headgear with numerous glowing tubes attached to it. Charles slowly stepped towards the machine to pick up the headgear he was to wear. With this machine, he can amplify his telepathic powers. Not only that, he has the sandworms' collective minds working for him. Now, Shaw's defeat would be absolute, if everything goes according to his plans. He attempted to put on the headgear, but Emma reached out to stop him.

"No, you must not use it now. This machine...it will drain you the moment you harness it!"Emma cried out desperately.

Charles intended to put the headgear upon his head to test it, but stopped short. Henry McCoy had also toppled on to the floor, moments after Princess Emma severed their mental link and Logan helped him to his feet after he had recovered. The melding of minds with the princess consort drained him. However, that did not stop him from feeling a sense of pride over his invention.

"I call it Cerebro. If my calculations are correct, it will reach even the farthest regions of our planet."

"I care not what you call this monstrosity! It's a hateful, killing machine!"Queen Raven said bitterly, causing the group to grow silent. Queen Raven turned to face her brother. She knew she couldn't change Charles' mind, but she pleaded with him nevertheless.

"Charles, won't you reconsider? This... this contraption. It will kill you. You know that, don't you?"

"You know why I must do this, Raven. Only I can stop Shaw."

"Why did you have to send King Erik away then? He has the power to defeat Shaw as well."

"It's not enough, Raven. I've foreseen the conclusion of their battle. Shaw will escape and cause further mayhem. Slowly, he'll destroy our world. I must prevent that from happening. He must die in the coming war."

Raven wanted to slap some sense into him, but she knew it was futile. She reached for him instead, embracing him.

"You stubborn fool!"She wept at his shoulder and Charles hugged her back affectionately. When he pulled back from her, he addressed everyone in the room.

While Princess Emma and Henry McCoy built the machine, Charles had used his powers to suppress Lady Grey's telepathic abilities. He did it so subtly that Lady Grey would not have noticed anything untoward happening within the kingdom. He controlled her mind by having King Erik's adviser fantasize about bearing children, instead of allowing her thoughts to wander. Surprisingly, her mind yielded to his power with ease. Lady Grey had always used her powers to sense oddities or events of interest to her; anything that concerns the kingdom. Charles knew this because she did it to him once.

"No one must know about Cerebro. We must keep this a secret, especially from Lady Grey. She'll stop us from using this machine if she finds out about it. In two days, Shaw's army will be upon us."

Everyone grew quiet once more, contemplating the prospect with dread.

"Then I shall rally King Erik's troops as well as my own, brother."Raven said with feeling.

Charles nodded his assent and turned to face Logan and Henry. "You must follow my king husband. You know where he has gone. Let him know about Shaw, once the time is right."

Queen Raven suddenly spoke up."Take my Captain of the guard Azazel with you. You'll find his teleportation skill useful."

Both men bowed before Charles and then they bowed before Queen Raven and Princess Emma. They left to make their preparations for their trip, using one of Queen Raven's airship to follow King Erik into the desert along with Azazel. They left stealthily, evading King Erik's royal guards and subjects using Azazel's power. Charles and Raven did not even see them off. Instead, they quietly sat in Queen Raven's chambers discussing strategies in warfare, leaving everyone else in the kingdom in the dark.

 

As the prince and his queen sister spoke tacitly of their plans, a resounding scream emanated across a distant, grassy plain. The scream came from a lowborn girl, who ran from her attackers and even though her situation was hopeless, she ran on, driven by instinct; driven by her terror and her fear. Moments before, she had been enjoying a meal with her family. She may be poor, but she wasn't suffering. She enjoyed a quiet and simple life in her village. She did not have any lofty dreams of finery or affairs beyond her station. She was just laughing at a joke made by her father at their dining table when they heard the first of the many explosions that cruelly cut through their idyllic and peaceful lives. The explosions were then followed by horrifying screams. It was the screaming of the villagers. Her own people. They instantly sprang up from their seats and stared out from the doorway and from the window, watching as a neighbor's thatched roof burned with fire. The air reeked of black smoke and smelled of burning things. Shaw's foot soldiers appeared out of nowhere from that smoky air, shooting down anyone their eyes alighted upon, throwing grenades into houses and above them, Shaw's men in low-flying airships laughed cruelly as their lasers decimated rooftops, cut down escaping villagers and destroyed numerous homes. Some of the women were dragged on to the ground, raped before their dying husbands and their butchered children. It was a horror beyond compare, to watch their people die like this. The girl's father grabbed his staff, knowing it was but a flimsy weapon, powerless against lasers or lightning grenades. Nevertheless, he was driven by the need to defend his family and his village. He sibilantly ordered the girl and her mother to leave the house and escape into the hills.

"We cannot leave you here! Not like this! They'll kill you!"The girl's mother wailed, grabbing at her husband's collar.

"Please, father! Please! come away with us!"

The girl's father shook his head weakly, his face crumpled up with desperation.

"I should have listened to the King's men, when they asked us to leave, but our village leader was too stubborn. He was confident that Shaw would leave us alone. That our village was too small to be bothered with. Now, we pay the price." He said grimly.

The girl's father hardened his expression. He pushed his wife roughly away from himself."No, I must stay and help our people. Someone has to! Besides, I have to delay them, so that you may both escape! Go to the docks and find my ship."

The wife could only sob bitterly, as her husband gently touched her cheek.

"You must both go. Go to Genosha! Let the king know of what happened here. He'll avenge our people. Don't worry, I'll find a way to escape them and meet you there, but you must immediately alert King Erik that Shaw's coming! A message must reach Genosha somehow!"

Another explosion rended the air, causing the girl's shoulders to start up in shock, her eyes wide and full of fright. Her father went to her, giving her one last hug and pushing her and her mother away.

"Go! Now!"

In her confusion, the girl grabbed her mother's hand and they ran off, along with the rest of the other escaping villagers, ducking and hiding as they hurried for the hills and the cover of the forest, hoping that somehow they can escape the clutches of Shaw's marauding men. She dared not to look back, lest her will failed her, leaving her father alone to fend off those brutes. The girl and her mother shuddered as the explosions continued, wincing at the sound of laser beams and the rough laughter of Shaw's men from afar. The girl only looked back once to see her ravaged and burning village from some distance, her sight blurry due to the incessant tears flowing from her eyes. Just when they thought they were free, Shaw's men began to hunt her and her fleeing people down, one by one, as if they were animals for their sporting fun. The girl knew something ominous was underway when the sounds of the shooting suddenly stopped. She was already far from the village, but her ears still rang with the sounds of despairing screams. Exhaustion caused her to finally stop and take shelter in the bushes with her mother. Then, an explosion somewhere in the forest cut through her pounding heart and a lone scream of pain followed after. They were being pursued. Of course, it was little comfort that the airships cannot follow them into the forest. The girl almost wished that Shaw's men were stupid enough to start a forest fire and suffocate in the smoke. However, the Gods were not on their side that night.

"Mother!"The girl cried out desperately, huddling close to her mother as they hid themselves.

Her mother held her tightly, her face grim and haunted."They won't stop until they've killed every last one of us!"

"We can't stay here! We have to run! Maybe we'll make it to the King's city!"

Her mother just remained still as stone, her eyes full of the hopelessness she felt, as she stared off into the emptiness and the darkness of the forest. Only the bleak light of the moon and the stars lit their way, the leaves and the bushes sheltering them in their shadowy shade. The girl shook at her mother's shoulders, willing her to move.

"Mother! We have to try!"The girl cried out hysterically.

"Child, I can go no further. They've killed your father and eventually, they'll find us and kill us next. Let us just sit here and wait. Let us join your father."

The girl couldn't believe that her mother would give up like this. She knew in her heart of hearts that her father was already dead. Shaw's men were relentlessly thorough enough; the burning rubble that was once her village was a testament to this fact. However, she couldn't just give up. Her father had given them a task. The Genoshans must know of their fate.

"How can you say that? Father sacrificed himself just so we could escape!"

Her mother's stony expression suddenly crumpled up and she began to sob."We didn't deserve this! We didn't have anything to do with their wars and yet they involved us in their conflict."

"King Erik didn't want this, Mother! You and I both know the truth!"

"If he's so great why has he allowed this to happen?"Her mother cried out despondently; her pain at the loss of her husband and her village causing her to speak this way.

"He tried to-"The girl began.

An explosion to their right caused them to spring up from the bushes, hearts hammering in fear. They stared in horror at the burning clump of grass close by. It was too close. Shaw's men were almost upon them. The girl tugged at her mother's arm and they ran on, despite their exhaustion. They were almost at the grassy plain, which led out to the sea port where docked, underwater boats awaited them. The boats would have allowed them to cross the sea and escape their pursuers. Her father owned one of those boats and he had taught her to navigate one before. Hope sprang within the girl's heart.

"Quickly now, Mother! We're almost there! We're-"

A reddish beam suddenly cut through the air and pierced her mother's throat. Their pursuers robbed her mother of her screams. The girl froze up, staring in horror as her mother's head flew from her neck and rolled on to the grass, eyes turned up to the whites and mouth hanging open in a silent scream, the other end spurting blood that looked black under the godless night sky. A dark, suffocating feeling filled the girl's heart, nearly causing her to lose consciousness and blurring her sight.  Her eyes trembled in their sockets as she stared, dumbstruck and unable to accept what she was seeing.The girl realized she was still holding her mother's spasmodic wrist in her hand, the body suddenly slumping down and writhing as the last vestiges of life and impulse left it. She immediately released her mother's dead body from her grasp and uttered a short scream.

Shaw's men got up from where they had been hiding, openly taunting the girl now. They talked of taking turns raping her and that was enough to galvanize her into action. She ran as fast as her aching legs could carry her, right across the grassy plain. Her pursuers laughed trollishly as they chased her. They didn't shoot at her because they needed her alive, so that they could do unspeakable things to her. She would rather die than allow such a thing to happen. They were almost at her heels now. It was too late to get to the docks. They would surely prevent her from making her escape. Her mind reeled with both her despair and horror over her fate. She suddenly stared down at her clothes. She was wearing a traditional dress, a design known only in her village. It was covered in soot and dirt now, but the blue and orange coloring was still discernible, along with the herringbone pattern of the bodice. She was very proud of this dress because she sewed it herself, using her own hands. She remembered when her father had purchased the bolt of fabric for her for this dress and that her mother had helped her cut and assemble it. This dress represented her and her people.

_A message must reach Genosha somehow._

Her father's voice echoed within her mind and she immediately came to a decision. She knew what she had to do to let the Genoshans know of their hapless fate. Although she appeared to be running mindlessly from Shaw's men, she knew exactly where she had to go. Her lungs burned, as well as her legs, gasping breathlessly as she poured forth all her strength to avoid their disgusting clutches. She ran straight for the cliffs and without giving herself a second to think it through, she jumped. Her pursuers uttered curses after her because she spoiled their game. She fell backwards, her arms and legs splayed out. She knew that the moment she threw herself over the edge, she would die. The cliffs were too high and the jagged rocks down below would probably kill her first, if not the impact of her body hitting the harsh waves. No one will come to save her. She had a brief view of the indifferent skies and then she slowly closed her eyes, awaiting her death. She had come to terms with it. She had a moment to remember good memories of her family and friends, of the happy life she once lived. She tried to focus on these thoughts and then the cold, dark water engulfed her. Sure enough, the relentless waves almost tore her frail and slight body apart. She fought against the tide helplessly, but the freezing water crushed down on her lungs, drowning her in an instant and then she died. The men from above could only look on as her lifeless body was tossed about by the waves. They did not stay to watch. They thought her body would sink down to the depths, but the waves continued to throw about her pale, motionless form along the shoreline and oddly, the waves weren't able to maroon her body on to the shore. The sea furiously heaved her about, far and wide for hours until a group of men found her and hauled her body up. The fates, although cruel, finally allowed the girl to fulfill her father's dying wish. Genoshan scouts found her corpse because the waves pushed her towards the borders that touched the Genoshan shoreline. The men grimly looked amongst each other because they knew what befell the girl.

With uncharacteristic tenderness, they wrapped the dead girl in a blanket and they placed her in one of their airships. They immediately took her to Genosha. Even though King Erik was not present, the prince consort served as their ruler in his stead. The prince hurriedly met with them and they gravely presented him the dead girl. Prince Charles touched the girl's cheek, closing his eyes for a moment and with his mind's eye, he saw what happened to the girl and what led her to her death, touching the last electrical impulses within her brain and gleaning the truth from her. Tears slowly coursed down the prince's cheeks as he wept for this poor girl. He slowly opened his eyes and kissed her forehead, speaking softly as he pulled away.

"Your death will not be in vain. I know what happened to you and I swear I will avenge your village."

Prince Charles lifted his head and looked around at King Erik's men with determination. Speaking in a commanding voice, he announced his first call to arms.

"Ready your king's army. War will be upon us soon."

**Author's Note:**

> * I admit, seeing Charles in my mind, dressed in a Queen Elsa-like outfit had me chortling with glee. Er, this has a more middle eastern feel to it, though. I thought he looked so pretty! XD  
> * Since this is a completely different world I am trying to paint, the royal houses and the Imperial kingdoms would have bizarre customs, the culture entirely different from the norm.


End file.
